Osama Bin Laden is one of the most widely used names in the contemporary world. Before 9/11 he was only familiar to me as a 'hero' in some parts of the Islamic world, but I was uninterested in knowing more about this thin faced, bearded man. But after the attack on the Twin towers I became one of many people who were prompted to study Bin Laden’s biographies. I read interviews and books by both local and foreign journalists. Bin Laden is a classic example of a 'hero' becoming a 'zero' in no time. Every time his video messages would appear on news channels his demeanor and words would be painstakingly analyzed. But as video and audio messages poured in members of the mainstream news media began to question their authenticity. Those of you who have seen ‘Wag the Dog’ (1997) will understand how state agencies create fake video tapes to achieve their own vested interest when required. Who would have thought that debutant director Abhishek Sharma would come up with an idea of faking Bin Laden so convincingly? Tere Bin Laden is about Ali Hasan, a struggling TV journalist at a disreputable channel called Danka TV based in Karachi. Ali dreams of going to US and reporting for prestigious news agencies but in the aftermath of 9/11 and due to America’s strict visa policy his visa application keeps rejecting. Spoiler alert Then one day while covering a bizarre rooster crowing contest in interior Sindh he comes across a Bin Laden look alike. In dire need of money, Ali comes up with the sinister idea of making a fake Bin Laden video message. The world gets the new menacing video tape of Bin Laden which results in an acceleration in the bombings in Afghanistan. Upon realizing his mistake Ali tries to undo the damage by creating another video message in which Bin Laden offers peace to President Bush. The synopsis might sound simple but the movie has countless side-splittingly funny moments. You can’t predict the next scene which is the sign of an engaging plot.  Ali Zafar gave a confident and enjoyable performance. But the show stealer in my view was ‘Noora’ – the better, the adorable and the new Bin Laden – played by Pradhuman Singh. It is impossible not to like him or crack up at his dialogue. If not for his performance, the movie would have fallen flat. The Karachi shown in the movie looks authentic to a great extent except a Punjabi speaking ‘Noora’ based in interior Sindh leaves begs explanation. Tere Bin Laden is a black comedy, the genres best known movie is Dr. Strangelove. One doesn’t find sense in such movies as those are made for pure entertainment. It is a pity that Tere Bin Laden has been banned in Pakistan. The movie doesn’t hurt anyone’s sensitivities per se and it could have been released with a changed title. It would have been great to see Ali Zafar’s first Indian movie in theaters. This movie features a Pakistani artist in the full length leading role. It was also the first Indian movie whose entire story and characters are based in Pakistan. On the other hand, I feel the screening of this movie could have invited the unwanted attention of militants and terrorists. The indoctrinated suicide bombers wouldn’t take time to watch the movie first and then decide whether to bomb a movie theater or not. They’ll take it as a movie burlesquing their leader. Pakistan’s banning the movie feels harsh but in the end we could consider it a commendable step in the interest of common people because in today’s Pakistan when it comes to maniac bombers, the more caution exhibited, the better.

With the cricket World Cup days away, a frenzy has set in and no one seems to be talking about anything else. Radio and TV channels have shows where analysts evaluate different teams and predict who is going to succeed. Another constant feature is Pakistan’s World Cup soundtrack Jazba by Ali Zafar. Pakistan’s World Cup song is suitably titled Jazba considering the presence of young players on the team and has been written, composed and sung by none other than Ali Zafar, the prince of pop himself. The title of the song draws comparison to the ever green song Jazba Junoon that still reverberates around the country whenever Pakistan is playing an important game. Whereas that song inspired listeners and created a hype (and still does), Ali Zafar’s song fails to have an impact. Given Zafar’s stature and reputation, it is nothing short of a disappointment. The song has a weak composition and just isn't catchy; the lyrics are inspiring but don’t live up to expectationz. Jazba doesn’t even compare well when pitted against String’s Hai koi hum jaisa, which was an instant hit with the public. It is probably the most disappointing anthem released by a Pakistani in the last few World Cups. Compared to this, the official ICC World Cup anthem, composed and sung by Shankar-Ehsan-Loy, De Ghuma Ke (which incidentally is also India’s official World Cup anthem) has a very good beat and is catchier. It gets the heart pumping and blood racing in the veins. The video of Jazba slightly redeems it. It is full of green and white, capturing the colours of the national flag well. It also captures the excitement, youthful spirit and energy which Team Green should be full of, considering eight of the 15 players in the squad have never played a World Cup match. The centre of attention in the video is of course the captain Shahid Khan Afridi himself, and rightly so. Afridi captures the imagination of the Pakistani public like none other in the current team and his cheerfulness is infectious. Maybe a few younger players like Shehzad could have been a part of it to give a holistic look to the anthem. The video ends with the masses going to the stadium to witness Pakistan’s match with expectations, something that an anthem is supposed to do! Overall, the Pakistani fans and especially Ali Zafar’s fans have been let down by this anthem. The cricket World Cup is an occasion for excitement in our region, and probably one of the few left for us to celebrate. Music is another source of entertainment and together these two create a lethal combination, which inspires the participants and audience and gets them into the cricket spirit. February 17, 2011 Correction: Rise of Jazba is a motivational song sponsored by Mobilink. Dunya hai dil walon ki is the official cricket World Cup 2011 song.

Love stories have been told again and again. Every now and then, a Jab We Met comes around - a film which that rises above the predictable. London Paris New York (LPNY) is one of those special films. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K433dj6Gfyc]] Set in three lovely cities, this is story of Nikhil (Ali Zafar) a happy-go-lucky boy and Lalitha (Aditi Rao Hyderi) a simple, nerdy Madrasi girl, who fall in love with each other thrice in six years. And that’s it. That’s all the movie is. No impediments, no pretentiousness, no preaching, no ‘zaalim samaaj’ and not even a supporting cast. The only third person who has a line to say in this movie is Dilip Tahil who appears during the last ten minutes. The first few scenes of the film give an impression that its similar to When Harry Met Sally - which has already been done in Bollywood (Hum Tum), however, LPNY is a different story with a different treatment. In fact, the film closer to 500 Days of Summer and also has a peculiar similarity with Roger Dodger because of  the heavy dependence of dialogues between the two main characters. Nonetheless, LPNY is a lot simpler than any of these movies. Instead of relying on twists and complications of the plot, it thrives on performances and the affability of the lead characters. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1pWzS3uGp0]] The strongest point of the film is the fact that it is short - less than two hours. It doesn't drag at any point and remains fairly gripping for a simple story. The first part of the story, which takes place in London takes some getting used to especially the extrovert Nikhil. As the film moves forward, the entertainment and the engagement levels go up. The part shot in Paris is better than London but New York simply steals the show. The climax is beautiful. Watch out for the penultimate sequence at Hudson River; best scene of the movie. The film could have finished at that point and it would have ended at a high second to no other love story of recent times; no complains though. Ali Zafar's acting is dynamite - 5,000 tons of talent I must say. Besides being the lead actor in the film, he is also the music director, singer and lyricist. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeqxVHC3H1U]] While he has done well on all the fronts, his acting takes the cake. In Tere Bin Laden, I was convinced of his comic timing but weren't sure on his ability to handle emotional scenes as TBL had none. LPNY has shown the audience his flexibility, range and ability to carry the film on his shoulders. With amazing scene presence and charm, he put up a great show. His comic timing in London segment, impatience in Paris and outburst at the climax in New York, all were fantastic performances. Aditi Rao Hyderi is not far behind either. Her portrayal of Lalitha and the transformation the character goes through are extremely natural andauthentic. Her adorably shy demeanor in the first story, sultry looks and heartbreak in the second and mature conduct in the third are absolutely brilliant. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcY2PsgPMyQ]] She looks gorgeous in the rain sequence in London and steals the hotel room scene in Paris which, of course, is a defining moment in the story too. This was definitely her best performance after small roles in Yeh Saali Zindagi and Rockstar. The third star of the film is Anu Menon, who too has worn multiple hats for this venture. Not only has she written the script and the dialogues but has also directed the movie. Had I not known, I would have thought LPNY is an Imtiaz Ali (Jab we Met) film and that’s a huge compliment for Anu. She has handled intimate scenes between the lead pair well. While the dialogue can be cheesy at times that is a requirement of Nikhil’s character. Anu hasn’t gone over the top and has kept the film as close to reality as possible. The words 'unrealistically realistic’, fits London Paris NewYork. I am sure several guys have gone through what Nikhil goes through on a bench in London. All in all, LPNY is exactly the way love stories should be made - trendy, urban and fairly realistic. It takes great courage to make an entire film for only two characters, that too played by new comers. Even if this movie doesn't win bumper opening at the box office, it will increase the audience size for Ali, Aditi and Anu significantly. It is a beautifully made artsy commercial film which deserves a successful run.

In the early 1980s, when Ghulam Ali’s melody ‘chukpe chukpe raat din’ and Nazia Hasan’s sensuous ‘aap jaisa koi’ took Indian film-viewing audience by a storm, the armies of both nations were engaged in a severe conflict on the highest battlefield on earth - the Siachen glacier. Two decades later, the Siachen conflict grew to become one of the major factors for the Kargil war of 1999, in a parallel universe at around the same time, the Pakistani band Junoon was making the youth of India groove to the tunes of ‘sayonee’. If talent and armed conflict could remain separate decades ago, today, when the online world is casting a wider web and borderless societies are being formed, one will not majorly affect the other. When Indian connoisseurs of qawwali sit down to download a collection, they would most likely type in “Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan” or “Sabri Brothers”, caring less about the nationality of the performers. “Never thought of them as Pakistani talents till date,” said Vasudha Dalmia, a resident of Coimbatore, she was talking about talents like Rahet Fateh Ali Khan, Atif Aslam and Ali Zafar, “they are all super”. When a music lover listens to ‘laagi tumse mann ki lagan’, he is enthralled by the voice, the emotions, the melody and would not be bothered by the nationality of the singer. For the world outside the subcontinent, Jagjit Singh and Ghulam Ali are both just fantastic ghazal singers.

“Oh, are they from different countries?” questioned Zahra Nadeem a resident of Eygpt, when asked to comment on the two singers.

“It’s art! There’s nothing political about art”.

“Supporting Pakistani artists is like feeding our neighbour’s kids while our kids starve just because we want to be the most popular mom living in the street,” he says, “It doesn’t matter how well-behaved the neighbour’s kids may be, our kids come first! Simple!”

It seems Bollywood is on a remake spree. A weekend after the release of the Himmatwala remake we are offered Chashme Baddoor, a remake of a 1981 comedy of the same name. While with remakes, one inevitably ends up comparing it to the original, I am going to try and be fair to the 2013 movie, and not pitch the two versions against each other. Chashme Baddoor  is an out-and-out David Dhawan comedy – full of cheesy shayari (poetry), slapstick (and sometimes over the top comedy) and exaggerated situations. This is not a movie for those expecting any form of sense in the on-goings, while the mindless entertainment seekers will find this movie to be right on the money for sure! The story is a shallow, no-brainer – three friends fall for the same girl and when the girl falls for one of them, the other two try to first separate them and then bring them back together. To add to the onscreen masala, we also have Rishi Kapoor and Lillete Dubey falling for each other at first sight, Anupam Kher and Anupam Kher (double role) fighting each other and their whacky mother! In the music department, Chashme Baddoor  is weak and chaotic at best. “Har ek friend kamina hota hai” is its strongest track, but in the movie it does not come till the end titles. “Early Morning” and “Dhichkyaaon doom doom” are at best hummable – and all the other tracks are just super forgettable! As per box office reports, the movie has collected over 19 crore on the first weekend in India and as per Hammad Chaudhry, the film’s distributor in Pakistan (HKC Entertainment) on Twitter; “Chashme Baddoor  opened ‘zabardast’ in Pakistan with 47, ooo (on) day one including limited preview screenings Thursday late night.” Let’s weigh the good against the bad in Chashme Baddoor  and see how it fares.

• For us in Pakistan, the good has to be Ali Zafar. He looks good and does a pretty decent job as the leading man. However, on occasions (where he is looking for his inner Dev Anand) Ali sounds awkward – but who cares as long as he keeps the flag flying high!

• Siddharth and Divyendu Sharma, as Ali’s jealous friends, have a fantastic screen presence and good timing for comedy – and in reality carry most of the movie on their shoulders. This could have been because they were given the meatiest scenes and dialogues but their acting was what actually pulled us through.

• The film has some entertaining moments, its share of witty one-liners and some good jokes. I did find myself laughing many times while watching the film.
• The promotions of the film were spot on – funny, colourful and enticing – exactly what is needed to hook the Gennex audience to buy the tickets.

• For starters, the leading lady, Tapsee Pannu, who three boys have supposedly fallen for has zero on-screen presence, looks or charisma. In fact she is completely forgettable other than her constant “Dum hai boss …”

• The lead pair has zero chemistry. Ali Zafar and Tapsee Pannu’s love story can at best be called lukewarm and sadly not too happening.

• The flow of the movie is patchy and personally I account this to weak editing more than anything else.
• I found the humour to be slapstick in nature and many of the jokes were extremely sexist too. Bollywood continues to objectify women, as usual.
• In terms of music - which is the backbone of any Bollywood flick - Chashme Baddoor  is not the most memorable ride either.
• For the fans of the original Chashme Baddoor  – this will be a major disappointment, because this is nothing like the sweet and tender story where Farooq Sheikh romanced Deepti Naval.

Remember that time you were sitting at a restaurant, having a conversation with a friend and you felt your mind drifting away? You start taking things around you in; the environment, the people. You start wondering what the woman next to you was thinking when she decided to wear that particular outfit or how the couple on your left must think they look great together, when they just don’t. There now, there is no need to pretend to be ‘holier than thou’, we’ve all done it. After years of careful observation, I decided to come up with a list of my own; a list of people I would like to see together this Valentine’s Day, a day when the air is filled with love (and hearts) and nothing can bring your spirits down because you know it’s all about love today – just you and that special someone. (Cheesy, I know) Since ‘I don’t want no drama from your mama’, I have picked a safe-bet and chosen celebrities from Hollywood, Bollywood and Lollywood to mix and match together. Here are eight of my favourite heartthrobs I would pair with gorgeous females that aren’t me: 1) Leonardo DiCaprio and Mahira Khan I don’t really think I need to elaborate on this one. They’re both great actors and from what I’ve been told by people who’ve met them (yes I know people who’ve met Leo) and from what I’ve read, they are ridiculously charming, modest and friendly. If Mahira can give Leo the chance, this couple is sure to melt the silver screen. 2) Ranbir Kapoor and Blake Lively Good looks galore! Even though I’m not really a big fan of Ranbir, unlike creepy stalkers who camp outside his house just so they can watch him enter and exit... for hours, I appreciate good looking men when the need calls for it. Blake with her fun, yet sultry presence and Ranbir with his charm and boy-next-door appeal, would definitely make quite an interesting couple. Let Kat go Ranbir, Lively is the way to go for you! 3) Sheheryar Munawar Siddiqui and Emilia Clarke Now now, don’t go grabbing your pitchforks yet. Emilia Clarke or commonly known as The Great Khaleesi from Game of Thrones (GOT), has been a fantasy for many men who are avid followers of the GOT. Hey, if I was a guy, I would totally go for her! With Sheheryar’s good looks, charm and fun personality coupled with her sex-appeal and desirability factor, this celebrity couple would make the boys and girls go loco. Both possess a real fire and passion for what they do, and I have no doubt that they would make a striking couple. 4) Ranvir Singh and Lady Gaga My masterpiece (sarcasm intended)! I will admit that Ranvir looked quite ‘hot’ in his recent movie Ram Leela and worked extremely hard to get that body but I’m sorry, when you’re going to cover it up with your atrocious dressing sense and commit fashion faux pas every now and then, it’s just unfair to our eyes. Making a statement is one thing but wearing ‘jazzy’ camouflage suits and chequered trousers with caramel hair is another. But I will say one thing, the guy has confidence to think he can pull it off and sometimes he does. Lady Gaga, on the other hand, has been known for her ‘edgy’ sense of style. From the cow meat dress to the Hannibal Lecter face cage, she has been on a roll when it comes to taking risks and making fashion disasters. Therefore, the commonality between these two is the absolute nonsense they wear ever so confidently, they might as well go out. I would advise audiences to guard their eyes this V-Day. 5) Ian Somerhalder and Syra Yousuf Syra can easily be one of the prettiest girls on TV screens right now. And well, Ian Somerhalder, need I say more? Those eyes, his deadly looks paired with her piping good looks and bubbly personality- this is one celebrity couple I myself would be happy to watch. I do admit though, the thought of this couple transpired purely because they would have some superbly good looking kids! 6) Fawad Khan and Deepika Padukone These are one of my favourites from Lollywood and Bollywood. Being a fan of Fawad from his EP days, I personally think he’s quite a looker. And Deepika with those legs and her envious dress sense has caught the eyes of many. It’s about time Deepika cuts loose her secret ‘edgy’ Ram Leela and goes for someone more her type. Your Ram awaits you in Pakistan, Leela! 7) Hamza Abbasi and Ainy Jafri Come on, it’s totally possible! Regardless of Hamza’s tad bit over-acting in Waar, one cannot deny that he is very cute and a good actor occasionally. Ainy has caught the eye of many with her recent appearances in serials and advertisements. Don’t be biased, just look at them; they definitely make a very pretty couple. 8) Ali Zafar and Nargis Fakhri I know many probably thought I would pair him with Katrina, but after the Mobilink commercial, featuring the two stars, I thought ‘hey, why not?’ He has the voice, good looks and charm, and Nargis, well she definitely has... umm... the lips. So there you have it, my list of celebrities I would have loved to see together this Valentine’s Day, dining away amidst candle light and floating lanterns. PS: Ryan Gosling has not been added to this list because I could not bear doing that to myself.

Ali Zafar’s fifth Bollywood film, Total Siyapaa, is an outlandish comedy of errors which unfolds on a single, wild night. The movie is another version of the popular cliché of what happens when a boy meets the girl’s parents for the first time. Things are going great for the couple, Aman, played by Ali Zafar, and Asha, portrayed by the talented Yami Gautam, until Aman is persuaded, with much protest, to meet Asha’s parents. Chaos ensues as the couple face characters ranging from a Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ)-obsessed child, baseball-bat wielding youngsters, a chronic complainer (played skilfully by Kiron Kher), trollops with tooting accents and a nuttier than a bar of snickers granddad. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Total Siyapaa Official Facebook Page[/caption] Mix the quirks of the characters, which are, to put it mildly and in printable language, cucking frazy, with a dangerous container of frozen soup and some near murders, and you have the recipe for a mammoth Siyapaa. Interestingly, things at the house take a massive turn for the worse when Aman is asked the all too familiar question of ‘what is your family background’. This is when the parents unexpectedly learn that their Indian daughter, who was brought up as a Hindu, has chosen a Pakistani man, who follows a different religion. That’s when the already awkward dinner turns into an out and out farce. Aman, the innocent, well-spoken boy from a good family, struggles to maintain his nerve as each character presents a new challenge. As he becomes more and more entrapped by the family’s eccentricities and a host of unexpected circumstances, Aman’s relationship with Asha comes under stress too. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="522"] Photo: Total Siyapaa Official Facebook Page[/caption] His love for Asha makes him drop his accha bacha (good boy) standards and work to wriggle himself out of a welter of problems as he, against his will, finds himself in police stations, a flower shop and even the prospective father-in-law’s office. The interaction between Kiron Kher and Ali Zafar is hilarious throughout the film and there is a particularly funny scene where a distressed Aman has to deal with an elderly relative in a lavatory. While Total Siyapaa has its moments, I can’t help but think that the film, which is clearly meant to be an entertainer, has great unfulfilled potential. Initially titled Aman Ki Asha, it could have been fantastic had it included more of the comedy centred on the cultural differences between the two countries and Aman working to make peace with his antagonistic Indian family. It only touches on this matter briefly and if the script had more such banter, it would have really helped engage the audience for longer periods. The trailer and climax of the film, where the Pakistani identity of Aman is revealed, brings about an expectation of the Indo-Pak angle, which unfortunately isn’t exploited to the fullest. As a result, the film tends to meander from one comedy skit to another. The supporting cast, with the exception of the outlandish sister, played by Sara Khan, aren’t able to sparkle to the same extent that the family members did in the Meet the Parents series. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Total Siyapaa Official Facebook Page[/caption] While it’s neither engaging nor unpredictable enough to be termed a must see, there’s still plenty to commend in the film. Zafar is fantastic as the puzzled Pakistani and you can certainly relate to the very Pakistani earnestness and charm he brings to the role. The multi-talented Zafar sparkles, whether on screen or through the soundtrack, since in addition to playing the lead role, he composed and sung the songs too – the title track of which is sure to be a super-hit. One hopes he will soon become the first choice for the male lead in rom-coms too, much like Parineeta Chopra for filmmakers seeking a great female lead. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17ngzn_total-siyapaa-official-trailer-2013-ali-zafar-yaami-gautam-anupam-kher-kirron-kher_music[/embed] Moreover, the guy is an absolute gentleman and was supremely patient despite the stampede causing attention he was getting at the premiere in Pakistan. Courteous to the core, he even left a conversation midway with Humaima Malick and Aminah Shaikh when interrupted by a humble autograph seeker. Seeing Zafar on the big screen should be a huge draw for most people, considering he is probably the man most men want to be, and of course, the man most women want to be with. All in all, if you’re looking for a light-hearted and amusing film that the lady in your life won’t object to, this ultimately harmless film, which has some great songs, one of which sees Zafar partner with Fariha Pervez, is a good pick.

I was sitting on Facebook when a friend of mine, a very patriotic Indian, messaged me informing me of the airport attack in Karachi. I replied expressing shock and grief, a feeling he reciprocated. We, the educated youth of India who love the music of Atif Aslam and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, and have no qualms with Ali Zafar starring in Bollywood movies, only empathise with victims of terrorism anywhere in the world. Terrorism has been affecting our own country since the late 1980s; starting with the killings and forced displacements of Kashmiri Hindus, followed by a series of terrorist attacks in India’s major urban areas, perhaps the most horrendous example being the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. I saw a post on Facebook by one Salman Khan shared by a fellow Indian, asking for O+ blood for one of the Pakistani victims of the Karachi attack in hospital, and I shared that post in as many groups and on as many pages as possible. Having also written an article criticising the attack on Pakistani student Ali Hasan Raza in India, I believe I echoed the sentiments of a very large number of my countrymen, and it might interest some of the readers that he and I have become ‘friends’ on Facebook and had friendly conversations too! And if some people wish to deduce from Narendra Modi becoming prime minister that Indian Hindus are mostly anti-Muslim, they would do well to read an article I posted in The Indian Economist. There is indeed no dearth of people in Pakistan who acknowledge that attacks, like the recent ones in Karachi, are a result of the military establishment of their own country creating a Frankenstein monster to be used against India and for ‘strategic depth’ in Afghanistan, which has now turned against its own erstwhile master. However, many Pakistanis also fall for ludicrous conspiracy theories floated by the likes of Zaid Hamid (and if he were to be believed, Christians in RAW called him up to tell him that Ajmal Kasab is Amar Singh, because he has raised his voice for the ‘oppressed’ Christian minority in India; ironically, the very same Hamid doesn’t shy away from saying that Hindus, Christians and Jews are all united, conspiring against Muslims, and sadly, some people believe him rather than the Pakistani government that accepted Kasab being a Pakistani citizen, though Hamid never furnishes any concrete evidence!) that suggest the complicity of the Indian government in such attacks. What interest would India have in creating or supporting an organisation of hard-line Islamists? Can India expect such people to support its interests in the long run? The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has already spewed venom against India on more than one occasion, and in fact, strategic circles in India are very concerned that the TTP taking over Pakistan could mean them exercising the nuclear option, leading to massive destruction in our subcontinent. Quite often, even in our day-to-day lives, many people shy away from accepting their own failures and find it convenient to believe in versions of events that suit them, and indeed, oratory appeals to many sentimental people more than logic. But the Pakistani nation, for its own good, will have to face the truth and act fast. The real threat to their security doesn’t come from across the border but emanates from the rot within, created by their own people, which threatens the democratic fibre of Pakistan. An illusory existential threat from India keeps the reins of power in the hands of those in power, but of course, some of their creations have unfortunately clearly gone out of hand. Indeed, the Kashmir issue would have to be resolved by way of a compromise to the satisfaction of India, Pakistan and the people of the erstwhile princely state on both sides of the Line of Control (what such a solution could possibly entail can be the subject of another article), and I am not for a moment condoning the gross human rights violations committed by rogue elements in the Indian military and paramilitary forces in the valley and those must be condemned, just as the atrocities by their Pakistani counterparts in Balochistan. But at this juncture, Pakistan’s top priority ought to be to set its own house in order, and blaming India for anything and everything in a baseless fashion and jingoistic rhetoric would certainly not help achieve the same. So, no, Pakistan, it wasn’t us. We didn’t attack your airport. [poll id="345"]

Born and bred in good ol’ Lahore, this Lahori munda has done us proud in many fields. His claim to fame is painting, singing, dancing and acting. With his adverts zapped nationwide on billboards and television channels, singing and dancing to his own composition, Ali Zafar goes around painting the town yellow and red. Shuffling between the neighbouring Indian film industry, local adverts and composing albums, he is a busy man, yet he was kind enough to take my call whilst driving back home from his dentist appointment. Given the lack of time and opportunities to meet him, I managed a ‘lightning round’ with him over the phone.

Me: If ever given a chance to act for this side of the border, would you like to act in Pakistani dramas or films? If yes, who would you like your drama queen to be? Ali Zafar (AZ): For now films. The queen can be anyone as long as she doesn’t create a drama on the set. (Munda of small words eh?) Me: We have seen the funny bone in you in your last six Indian films. Will we get to see the emotional or evil side of yours? AZ: Well, all these films did have some serious and emotional quotient but yes, by and large they were comedy films. London, Paris, New York was a romantic film. However, Kill Dil is the film where you would get to see me in a completely different avatar. More serious and grey! (Okay never mind, he talks, like all Lahoris) Me: I am personally very fond of your song ‘Jhoom’. What is the inspiration behind it? AZ: I wrote the song as a medium of devotion to ‘life’ itself. It speaks about how life reflects itself in each and everything. It was written during a time I was going through a sort of reflective pensive phase in life. If you see the video of this song, you would see the depiction of drifting away from the glitz and glamour into a simpler side of life and finding happiness there. (Wah, deep!) Me: Success is public, and so is failure. Does that bother you? How do you cope with it? AZ: Failure is your best teacher. If you experience it with an open mind, you can gain a lot from it. (Tart reply, eh!) Me: What is the difference and similarity between Ali Zafar in NCA days and Ali Zafar nowadays? AZ: I was a student of arts during NCA days. I still am a student of arts in life! (Aww sweet, so young at heart) Me: When it comes to women, is IQ (Intelligence Quotient) more important or EQ (Emotional Quotient)? AZ: IQ, EQ, ZQ, YQ, all go hand in hand Me: Hahah… and what would ZQ and YQ be? AZ: The readers should employ their IQ’s to find out. (Funny bone again) Me: On a personal level, what is your daily routine like? AZ: I love spending time with my family, love intense work out sessions and eating a balanced healthy diet.

 “Meiney tujhey dekha subhah key ujalon mein Nadiya mein, naalon mein Lamho mein, saalon mein Pyaar karney waalon mein Junoon mein, jiyaalo mein Ishq key malaalon mein Zinda misalon mein Jitni tu milti jayee, utni lagi thodi thodi” (I saw you in the morning light In lakes, in drains In moments, in years In two lovers In passion, in followers In love’s guilt In life’s examples The more I get you, the less it seems)

Jutt and Bond was where most of us first saw Fawad Afzal Khan. He was a skinny, lanky, clean shaven guy with bangs. Soon after, we were surprised to see him as the lead singer of Entity Paradigm (EP), a Pakistani nu metal band, with his husky, soulful voice and that pained musician look. That was when we, the female population of Pakistan, said to one another,

“Hey, this guy’s not bad looking.”

“Woah”

“Hayeee”

“Khoobsurat is sweet, benign, and bland.”

“He didn't do real kissing because he is Pakistani.”

Kill Dil was amongst the most anticipated movies of 2014, due to numerous reasons like Ali Zafar’s first hardcore masala entertainment, Govinda’s villainous re-entry and Ranveer Singh’s flamboyant character. So, what does Yash Raj’s banner offer this time to its audience? Let’s explore! [embed width="620"]http://vimeo.com/106483114[/embed] Kill Dil is about two orphans – Dev (Ranveer) and Tutu (Ali), who get noticed by a local hoodlum, Bhaiyya Jee (Govinda) while crossing a ‘kachre ka dabba’. Bhaiyya takes them in and provides the orphans with shelter. As they grow up, he nurtures them to be his special and most trustworthy assassins. Everything is mundane when until one fine day, Disha (Parineeti Chopra) bumps into Dev and they fall in love. Eventually Dev wants to leave his gang life behind but Bhaiyya doesn’t approve and resultantly, doesn’t allow him to do so. What happens next is what Kill Dil is all about. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="595"] Photo: Kill Dil Facebook Page[/caption] In terms of performance, the entire movie rests on the shoulders of two actors - Govinda and Ali. The former looks intimidating with his powerful dialogue delivery and adept expressions. Keep a look out for him in “Bol Beliya” and the first scene after the interval; he nails his role with utmost ease and conviction. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x27yrja_bol-beliya-song-kill-dil-govinda-parineeti-chopra-ranveer-singh-ali-zafar_music[/embed] This is one of the most prominent roles Ali has played; his screen presence is very strong. The scene where he carries Ranveer to the hospital is the highlight of his role. As usual, there is nothing extraordinary to Ranveer’s role. We have seen him doing the same roles time and time again. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="435"] Photo: Kill Dil Facebook Page[/caption] Parineeti for me, unfortunately, was an eyesore throughout; she definitely needs to work on herself. Also, her selection of roles has become monotonous and even... boring. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="536"] Photo: Kill Dil Facebook Page[/caption] In my opinion, the only saving grace for this was its music. Gulzar penned down some true masterpieces and Shankar-Ehsan-Loy (the trio) proved once again why they are the maestros of lively music. They understood the kind of emotion the music represented and made it shine bright through all their music. Nakhriley, Bol Beliya, Baawra and Sajde are tracks that you would definitely consider listening to more than once. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x290rqd_nakhriley-song-kill-dil-ranveer-singh-ali-zafar-parineeti-chopra-govinda_music[/embed] [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x28fivy_sajde-exclusive-video-song-kill-dil-ft-arijit-singh-ranveer-singh-parineeti-chopra-hd-1080p_music[/embed] On the whole, however, the movie failed to impress its audience and is nothing close to anything that the Yash Raj banner is normally known for. Director Shaad Ali could not live up to the standard and lacked the ability to carry the film through properly. There are quite a few loopholes in the plot and the script was just not gripping enough. In my opinion, the production would have been a lot better had the cast and crew focused on the key elements of a typical Yash Raj movie. Due to its humdrum storyline and the average performance of most of its actors, I couldn’t give this film more than a 2 out of 5.

Dear Subramanian Swami, Unlike Aamir Liaquat, I do not wish to engage in a tirade of abuses and vitriol of hate. I will not mention any ‘dandas with jhandas’ or ‘pichwaras’ or ‘teesri hockey sticks’, but I simply hope to appeal to your ability to see reason. You claim that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency of Pakistan has funded the Bollywood movie PK. You say that your sources trace the funds to Pakistan through Dubai. Sir, I do not know what you are smoking but please can I have some too? https://twitter.com/Swamy39/status/549500620118319104 Do you not know Pakistan at all? If we had enough money, before funding a Bollywood movie, we could have bought our Pakistan cricket team a World Cup. We could have lobbied to deny India the hosting rights of the World Cup then worked the schedule to ensure Pakistan wins it. As a goodwill gesture, the ISI could have even ensured Manmohan Singh comes to Lahore for the semi-final against India, in which the Indian cricket team magically misses 11 chances to get Shahid Afridi’s wicket. To show our magnanimity and to make it easier for India to miss those chances, we would have even let Kamran Akmal keep wickets for India – the only man in the world who cannot even catch Ebola. At the very least, the World Cup victory would have given us another political party. Our ISI is intelligent but it is hardly the richest agency in the world. If ISI had the money to fund PK, they could have better used those funds to hire Anushka Sharma to marry Imran Khan. It is the least they could do for him after his extended dharnas in Islamabad. It would be an even bigger coup for Pakistan than Sania Mirza. I would be proud of living in a country where Anushka is the bhabhi (sister-in-law) of the nation. And let’s be honest, even at 62, Imran is way better looking than Virat Kholi. Imran was even made to bear with DJ Butt; with the funds required for a movie like PK, we could have hired DJ Tiesto to play ‘Go Nawaz Go’ in Islamabad every night. We simply lack the capacity to fund a multi-million dollar movie with a story – if you do not believe me, you should see Waar. Do you know how I know for a fact that the ISI did not fund PK? It did not have Shaan in the lead role. And it was not called ‘Gujjar from Mars’. I know the abbreviation ‘PK’ might have thrown you off, since it could also stand for Pakistan, but do you really think we are that obvious? The ISI would have taken a leaf off your intelligent agencies books and named it Tehreek-e-Taliban India (TTI) instead. The movie would revolve around an alien who comes to India to impose Shariah. It would have to change the lyrics of the song slightly,

“Non nanga punga dost, satar covered dost, ek bhoondh bhi us nay na pee kyun kay haraam hai.”

Since the day it was rumoured that Ali Zafar was set out to pay a tribute to the Peshawar victims, there was a murmur on social networking sites on whether this tribute was needed. I saw people mixing religion into this discussion and saying that it isn’t the right way to express our condolences. For some time, I agreed with those comments, praying was after all the only way to help them. While I agree that saying a little prayer for the victims would have been good, the unity and enthusiasm that I witnessed online, a week before the launch of Ali’s song, Urein Ge, made me realise that I was wrong. This tribute was much needed. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2gn7vj_urainge-ali-zafar-official-music-video_music[/embed] Since the Peshawar incident took place, many artists have expressed their sadness through songs and words of condolences, and have condemned the attack. The ISPR tribute to the children, in a child’s voice, was one that could bring anyone to tears. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2erxl4_bara-dushman-bana-phirta-hai-jo-bachon-se-larta-hai_news[/embed] And then there was Shehzad Roy’s beautiful tribute with him singing Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua with children, reminding us of the value of education through the words of this powerful poem penned by Allama Iqbal. [fbvideo link="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152893754835971&set=vb.258948700970&type=3&theater"][/fbvideo] But what Ali Zafar did was different and on a massive scale. It is amazing how he managed to unite the entire film and television fraternity towards this social cause, almost two months after the attack, just when we were feeling guilty of having forgotten about it so soon. However, this is not the first time that members of the entertainment industry have come together to try to bring about a change. A campaign was started by our celebrities before the 2013 general elections, urging the public to vote for change and to vote for Pakistan. [fbvideo link="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=462789393801935"][/fbvideo] This time our celebrities have come together again and the message of unity that they have shown is indeed inspiring. Someone asked me if listening to a song would bring peace to the minds of those parents who lost their children. I think the answer to this is yes, it would. These tributes will show those grieving parents that their sacrifices have not been forgotten, that the nation stands beside them, including the celebrities that they have admired over the years through film and TV. For the general public, not only did the song remind of us what we should not forget, it gave us hope that such tragedies cannot destroy us and that we are stronger than ever. To be honest, the Peshawar incident made me feel like it was the end of the world. My trust on our law enforcement agencies had shattered and I thought nothing could make me feel safe again. But I think this song has restored some of the lost confidence and patriotism I had. The expressions that these actors, singers and artists had on their faces in the video of Urein Ge only revealed how hurt they were and that their room for tolerance has now ended. Their evident anger was an open threat to the terrorists, challenging them to do whatever they can but we will form such a land where there shall be only peace and love. The entire song is portrayed in black and white, and the simplicity with which all the stars presented themselves showed that they are completely dedicated towards the purpose of supporting the children of Pakistan. It was a message to all that only unity and dedication could bring an end to hate. With this song, Ali makes clear that in the same way that media personalities have united, political parties also need to join hands. Our leaders, while fighting against one another, have let these terrorists become the monsters they are today. There was a continuous expression of contempt towards the terrorists that the actors showed; a reminder for the terrorists to understand that their act was below the belt for humanity. The best part of the song was that Ali realised the need for the tribute to be decent and simple. Without using heavy instruments, costume, complex rhyme schemes, he managed to amalgamate words that show the parents and the nation that the sacrifice made by our young martyrs has not gone in vain. Though I agree that the Islamic way of condolence is the recitation of the Holy Quran, but this song is not just a tribute to the little angels, it is a challenge against terrorism and a call to unity. It is the only way ahead for our nation and this song portrayed that way forward beautifully. Not only does this serve as a lesson for us in unity, it is also a way to show the world that we do not support acts of terror. Making a statement in the news would have been ineffective; Ali’s message, through his song, has been appreciated and heard. Through the combination of lyrics, tone and expression, Ali has made Urein Ge an anthem of peace. In my opinion, this was the most effective way of expressing sorrow, solidarity and making your message heard without causing offence to anyone. Good job, Ali.

I like to listen to music, just like anybody else. And like a lot of people out there, I crave a musical atmosphere where I don’t have to listen to Bollywood music blaring out the speakers all the time. And it makes me wonder, whatever happened to the Pakistani music industry? Did it just die? Are we not good enough? Has everyone abandoned it? In this social media and gadget-infested world, it is not hard to find answers to these questions. I have had discussions with famous artists about it, talked about this on television and even had drawing room discussions about the state of the essentially Pakistan-grown music. And I have discovered that it’s not as bad as it seems. There are so many musicians out there trying to make a name for themselves, and are using social media and the internet to put out their work for the world to see. And for them, to come together collectively in order to have a single platform to showcase their work has been the biggest challenge, apart from selling their music. This is where Patari comes in. Currently in its beta phase, Patari has brought together numerous musicians to provide a single platform to every musician in Pakistan for people to listen to. They have collaborated with over 80 music labels to bring on board all the musical talent in the country and have worked with great music journalists to curate the playlists currently present on the website. Breaking down the website for you guys, the part that got me intrigued was their invite. It’s cleverly designed to lure the user into signing up. But the problem right now is that only a limited number of invites were sent, as the website is currently in its beta phase. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="401"] Photo: Patari website[/caption] As one clicks on and signs up, the website automatically takes you to the ‘Discover’ section where you can find all the genres and choose ones you might be interested in. Apart from the regular genres out there, the ones that caught my attention were ‘Bahngra Pop’, ‘Devotional’ (Sufi music), ‘Naya Pakistan’ and ‘Socio/Political’. With a vast library featuring music categorised according to the kind of lyrics one would want to hear, is something worth checking out. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Patari website[/caption] Checking out the Sufi genre, you will find Arieb Azhar, Ali Zafar, Junoon along with many new artists like Abdullah Qureshi. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Patari website[/caption] As you discover, you will see that there are categorisations according to mood as well. You have, from your ‘Break Up’ playlist to ‘Baarish’ (rain) to ‘Funk’ and playlists curated according to the kind of emotions one might want to indulge in. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Patari website[/caption] The ‘Break Up’ playlist features all cool artists, from Shehzad Roy and Najam Sheraz, to new artists like The Tamaashbeens. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Patari website[/caption] Apart from already present playlists on the website, you can make your own and ‘favourite’ the songs you might want to put on repeat. There’s also a feature through which artists on board have their bios on their own artist pages. Their songs are categorised according to their albums and are featured on other albums. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Patari website[/caption] With the international market equipped with websites like Spotify, where artists get a part of the revenue generated through subscriptions, Patari.pk is providing local artists an outlet of the same kind. It has a monitisation program through which the artist will get 30% of the cut from Patari’s revenue. This gives hope to upcoming musicians who think that pursuing music is not a financially feasible option. However, keeping all praise aside, the real issue Patari will have to face is engaging its customers when it goes into its commercial zone. Will users pay for the music they want to listen to? Are users willing to pay for something they can surely find on either YouTube or other websites? In a country like Pakistan, where piracy is at its peak, Patari will definitely face tough competition if it wants to stay relevant. With more of the Pakistani community coming on to social media, how will Patari appeal to the masses once it does decide to go commercial? Virtual hipsters will pay for the service, but if there’s a simple music lover who can find the things he/she wants on other platforms, how will Patari lure such people into using it? Only time will tell how Patari does in the future, but right now, it looks like something worth appreciating. Here’s what the Twitterverse is saying about Patari: https://twitter.com/khatmal23/status/576868153092800512 https://twitter.com/_FatimahAhmed/status/576715442095423488 https://twitter.com/JibbyD/status/576463270439202817 https://twitter.com/tweet_qash/status/576413022899466240 https://twitter.com/Aibasy/status/573222682197684224 From how it’s looking, Patari might just be the thing our Pakistani music industry needs to bring our people out from under the Bollywood rock and back to enjoying our own music. So if you’re craving some great Pakistani music, I suggest you sign up and give this a try. Supporting our music industry is very important and this is where you can do it – so stop complaining about what Pakistan lacks and start appreciating the little things we do have!

There are rumours flying around of production beginning on an Indian version of Game of Thrones (GoT). We let India sneak ahead in the nuclear arms race but we seem to be far ahead of them in the television dramas race. However, this could be a game-changer – to ensure we maintain our advantage we must make our own version of GoT before India! To make the job easier for all prospective producers, I have taken the liberty of casting the Pakistani Game of Thrones. 1. Mahira Khan as Daenerys Targaryen Our latest export to Bollywood is really the only option to play the mother of dragons. We can even pretend Humsafar was a prequel to GoT giving Khaleesi the perfect bechari aurat storyline to justify her wrath. We can also cast Sheheryar Munawar Siddiqui as Khal Drogo to give her company in season one. 2. Fawad Khan as Jon Snow This clearly does not need a description. I can only imagine how long the audition line would be for the role of Ygritte. And no Sonam Kapoor, you can't play Ygritte. 3. The late Maqsood Hassan as Tyrion Lannister He was the only actor in Pakistan who could have done justice to the role of Tyrion Lannister so I am using this space to honour the legacy of the veteran who devoted his life to the stage. 4. Ali Zafar as Jamie Lannister Ali Zafar definitely has the looks to pull off the Kingslayer. 5. Aamina Sheikh as Cersei Lannister We just need to pull out the blonde dye, and censor all the Jamie-Cersei scenes from the series. 6. Nadeem Baig as Tywin Lannister The legend of the film industry completes the Lannister family. 7. Inzamamul Haq as Robert Baratheon The boys played well in the war. He definitely has the beard. 8. Shaan Shahid as Stannis Baratheon Just like Igloo King cone, there can only be one “true” king here too. 9. Osman Khalid Butt as Renly Baratheon Because, why not? 10. Ali Azmat as Lord Varys They might as well be twins. 11. Javed Sheikh as Ned Stark He is the guy you call whenever you need one of these roles so why change that now. 12. Humayun Saeed as Rob Stark Only if he puts his own money into the production – for once people might be celebrating the Red Wedding. 13. Syra Shehroz as Arya Stark She does look like she could be 13. 14. Humaima Malick as Sansa Stark Just a humble request to the Pakistani producers, don't see this as a cue to put an item number in the Pakistani GoT. The girls can act too you know. 15. Bilawal Bhutto as Bran Stark I mean if someone gets to be carried on the back of somebody solely based on their family legacy... 16. Nasir Jamshed as Hodor He is out of employment after the World Cup, so he may need to raise his intellect to match it with Hodor's though. 17. Hamza Ali Abbasi as Joffrey Baratheon A young guy who thinks he is the king and it is his job to police the behaviour of everyone. Hamza Ali Abbasi is perfect! 18. Aamir Liaquat as Peter Baelish Is there a more hated character in The Seven Kingdoms? 19. Imran Khan as Jorah Mormont Forever friend zoned by the prime ministership. 20. Zubaida Aapa as Melisandre Magic is basically the Zubaida Aapa ke totkay (home remedies) of Westeros.

The year 2015 will be hosting its 14^th Lux Style Awards (LSA) ceremony. LSA is almost a teenager now, but instead of turning out to be a rebellious punk with a killer sense of style, it’s turned out to be a meek wallflower in dowdy dungarees. I say that because during the 14 years of its existence, I can’t recall a single memorable dance performance or a tear-jerking speech by any Pakistani actor or actress. For that matter, no outfit on the red carpet left any impression either; no glamorous gown, sari or dress left me absolutely stunned. We pause our lives to watch the Oscars, write thesis-long posts about each of the dresses worn by the leggy actresses, and torrent all the nominated films during commercial breaks. Even the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) performances are Youtubed through proxies and replicated at desi weddings from Delhi to Dharampura. So why do we treat the ‘Oscars’ of Pakistan like the Razzies? Now don’t go on blaming poor LSA for this travesty. The real problem isn’t the ceremony itself but how blah our ‘style’ dictators (event/entertainment managers) are. In this world of click-bait and virality, our entertainment gurus need to up their game for some serious eye-balling and tongue-wagging. So here are some ideas. 1. Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan pull a Notebook Okay, censor boards and morality won’t allow these two to kiss on stage like that passionate Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams lip affair, but the least they could do is enact that really steamy scene from Humsafar when Khirad’s safaid (white) dupatta almost shows a fraction of her seedhi maang (straight parting) and Asher almost makes eye contact with her for a fraction of a millisecond. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Twitter[/caption] 2. Mathira slips the tongue I’m thinking Molty Foam fingers, nude cholis and a mohawk sported by controversy queen Mathira? Too much? Okay twerking Punjabi style? Still too much? Groping Ali Zafar on stage? No? For God’s sake, will you let the poor woman at least accidently slip off her top on stage? 3. Sadaf Kanwal trips How can a size -zero drop dead gorgeous woman make herself more relatable and endearing to all size-50 wearing, average looking women? Well, drop down to her knees, of course! We all love a good dramatic fall from grace. And who better to fall down on the red carpet than this bushy eye browed beauty, who was accidently discovered at a salon in Karachi and then went on to compete in Veet Miss Super Model? If she says some Punjabi expletives on her way down, we’ll love her even more. 4. Model Jahan-e-Khalid wears a swan dress Okay, so I have two wishes in life before I die. 1. I want to see Jahan-e-Khalid shirtless 2. I want to get over my insane crush on Jahan-e-Khalid What better way to achieve both objectives than to get him to come to the event wearing nothing but a Bjork inspired swan dress. Swans too girly for this male model? How about a horse thrown around his muscular shoulders? No? How about a dog wrapped around his waist? How about a turban made from choohas (mice)? No? I’m going to die unfulfilled!  5. Deepak Perwani pulls a Kanye West on Urwa Hocane Urwa Hocane is the local embodiment of Taylor Swift. She’s young, fun and everywhere. You can’t turn a corner without seeing her face on a billboard or change a channel without seeing her in a drama. So we can totally understand if Deepak Perwani got a little bit flustered and went on stage, grabbed the mic, and ruined this doe-eyed young beauty’s big moment and started rapping about how someone else deserves to win that category altogether. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xp326j_taylor-swift-vma-award-moment-ruined-by-kanye-west_music[/embed]

It’s rare to come across voices that not only touch our hearts, but mesmerise our soul. Sara Haider is one of those exceptional singers who have managed to leave such an impact on the audience. This karachiite has shown her talent from her very first appearance on Coke Studio­­­­­ as a backing vocalist. This season, for the first time, she performed as one of the lead vocalist. Sara comes with praiseworthy experience in theatre such as ‘Grease – The Musical’ and ‘Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival’ in India. Sara, who started her career from UTH records, stated that,

“As a vocalist, I want to be as versatile as I can be in a few years – be able to sing ghazals and pop and rock and jazz and whatever else I like to listen to. I think the ultimate goal is just to continue to learn and grow as a musician and to work with different people – to move forward.”

It is the first day of January of 2016. Yes, the New Year has begun. We are all a bit older, wiser, and sadly, a little closer to death. Naturally, this is the perfect time to look back at some of the news stories that made headlines in Pakistan and across the world. Girls at Dhabas: For Pakistanis worn down by the taxing life of the big city, nothing quite reignites the brain cells like a good cup of doodh pati (tea). Sold at dhabas (roadside restaurants), these delicious cups of hot tea brewed in milk are consumed by the masses at every corner of the country with great regularity. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Indiegogo[/caption] While women aren’t barred from dhabas, they aren’t as regular a fixture at these small tea shops as men due to various social norms. When regular tea consuming friends Sadia Khatri, Natasha Ansari, Rabeea Arif and Najia Khan, decided to confront the gender disparity, they started the hashtag #girlsatdhaba. Little did they know that their movement would take on a life of its own. Today, the initiative has thousands of fans on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. #girlsatdhaba has been covered by news websites such as The Express Tribune and Buzzfeed, and has even caught on in the neighbouring India. This, of course, is fantastic. The patriarchal mindset of Pakistani society will start changing when women reclaim their social spaces. Our men need to become accustomed to seeing single or groups of women in public settings without male escorts. I, for one look, forward to #girlsonscooters #girlsinjeans and #girlsdrivingtaxis as the next Pakistani social movements. Pakistan demands return of Koh-i-Noor diamond from Britain: [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] Photo: Reuters[/caption] After some Indians sued England’s Queen Elizabeth for the return of the Koh-i- Noor diamond, many Pakistanis scoffed,

“You’re kidding right? Ranjit Singh’s capital was Lahore. His empire was in Pakistan. He was born in a Pakistani city. His granddaughter died a Pakistani. OK so it was India at the time… but still!”

“See… see?”

“What? Have they even been to Karachi?”

“In this case, the online dating portal Miss Travel did conduct a survey to collect opinions on ‘the Sexiest Nationalities’, but they were based on one sample male from different countries as an example. And the only contribution from Pakistan to that list was Zayn Malik, a 22-year-old born and bred in Bradford, United Kingdom, and whose remotest relation to Pakistan is that his father hails from this country.

But did the article-churning, social media sharing machines care? Nope. Every single post that has been circulated ever since this story went viral has pictures of Pakistani celebrities like Hamza Ali Abbasi, Fawad Khan, Ali Zafar, and Imran Khan plastered all over the place. Were they even a part of this survey? Did any of the participating 66,309 American females ever see even so much as a photograph of these celebrities before they hit Zayn Malik’s name on that opinion poll questionnaire? Highly unlikely.”

After a long period of waiting, the first edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) finally kicked off in Dubai last night. Stars from Pakistan, Jamaica and America performed their hearts out for a pretty decent sized crowd. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wdAMkMNs9g As with any cricket league around the world, the ceremony had all the excitement, flair, fashion, glamour and music to provide massive entertainment for the eager audience. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Tribune[/caption] By the looks of the event, the opening ceremony did extremely well considering this was our first time hosting such an event. Wasim Akram said this has got to be one of the biggest and greatest things to have happened to Pakistani cricket. It surely did look like that, keeping in mind last night’s festivities at the Dubai Cricket Stadium. The show started on a sober tone, with brief speeches from the UAE Minister for Culture, Youth and Social Development and His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, who honoured the ceremony with his opening remarks and discussed the deep bond shared between Pakistan and UAE. This was followed by a speech by Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Chairman Shahryar Khan, who discussed the potential of the league and its future plans. PSL chairman Najam Sethi also graced everyone with a speech, he thanked the authorities in the Emirates for assisting PCB in the organisation of the first edition of the league. After various speeches, the national anthem was sung with great fervour. Then came the exciting bit which entailed the music and hungama. It started off with performances by actress cum model Sanam Saeed and actor and presenter Mohib Mirza on their upcoming movie song. https://twitter.com/cricingif/status/695271492905492480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Sean Paul, the Jamaican superstar lit the night with an astonishing performance. He was joined on stage by the Caribbean trio Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy. The last performance of the night was from our very own rock star, Ali Zafar, who ended the event by performing on the official anthem of the PSL. https://twitter.com/cricingif/status/695266628884414464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: ESPNcricinfo[/caption] In between those performances, teams were made to walk-in and parade the stadium on their official songs. The glittering PSL trophy was also unveiled during the ceremony. Once the excitement died down, the momentum shifted towards its rightful direction, the field. Islamabad United led by Misbahul Haq faced Sarfraz Ahmed’s Quetta Gladiators in what later proved to be a one-side contest, where Quetta Gladiators bagged an easy victory against Misbah’s team. Islamabad United batted first, unfortunately, none of the batsmen managed to strike the ball, due to which Islamabad United were reduced to 63 for 6 in the 15^th over. Once again it was down to Misbah (41 off 28 balls) who along with Andre Russle’s 35 off 20 balls helped the team post a mediocre total of 128 in 20 overs. Chasing just 129 to win, Englishman Luke Wright (86 off 53 balls- not out) showed Islamabad United how it was rightfully done on slow and low pitches. He hit some breath-taking shots and finished the match with four overs to spare. A tournament 20 million cricket fans had endlessly been waiting for began on a brilliant note. Pakistanis have a reason to be proud since we have our very own league now.

The recently released Bollywood movie Airlift, based on the evacuation of Indians residing in Kuwait during the Gulf War of 1990, has won much acclaim in both India and Pakistan. Rightfully so, for its brilliant cinematography, outstanding performances by all the artists (especially Akshay Kumar who has steered away from typically playing romantic comedy or action roles) and its excellent screenplay. The tragic scenario of a war zone and how it can take away everything you have is depicted in a heart-rending manner, along with how man’s survival skills are put to the test. The apathy of many politicians and bureaucrats, as is expected in our part of the world even in times of such dire crisis, has been highlighted very well. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has issued a statement to the effect that this part of the film is untrue, even though the party in power back then was different from the current one as some critics have pointed out as well. The film also demonstrates how such situations ignite the sensitive or empathetic side of some people, not seen in them earlier. As an Indian, I must say that one of the Indian things that many Pakistanis, along with many other South Asians, do identify with is Bollywood. I remember back in 2003, I had gone with my family for a trip to Mauritius. While waiting in the lounge, we noticed Akshay Khanna there too, as did several others in the lounge. Interestingly, one of India’s pharmaceutical giants Mr Yusuf Hamied who runs the company Cipla was also present there. My father and I decided to take a stroll in the airport, as our flight was delayed and we stumbled upon a young Pakistani who asked us if there was any Bollywood hero at the airport, for he had heard something to that effect. I mistakenly told him that Akshay Kumar instead of Akshay Khanna was in the airline lounge. He thanked me and rushed to procure his autograph Later in 2006 some students from the Lahore Grammar School visited my school in Delhi (Modern School Vasant Vihar) in an exchange programme and even attended our student-organised farewell party for the batch that was to graduate. They danced to Bollywood songs, mouthing the lyrics with utmost ease. These instances constituted my initial exposition to the level of popularity that Bollywood enjoys in Pakistan. Later I learnt that Bollywood actresses such as Juhi Chawla and Kareena Kapoor had even done Pakistani television advertisements. Yes, Bollywood, like any other film industry, has produced the trashiest of films. Personally, I regret having watched the likes of Jhoom Barabar Jhoom and Ek Deewana Tha, but it has also produced many excellent films such as classics and other critically acclaimed films like Airlift. Apart from this, it has produced other light films that are fun to watch and overall aren’t bad at all. Bollywood has also been a symbol of Indian pluralism, even more than our cricket team. It has more appeal across the gender divide and provides opportunity to Anglo-Indians, such as Barry John, India’s tiny Jewish minority, those from certain provinces in India’s north-east where cricket isn’t particularly popular, for instance Danny Dengzoppa and even the Indians who are inherently Chinese, like Chang. A few Bollywood films have had very jingoistic or derogatory remarks towards Pakistanis as people, which is completely wrong. However, in most cases, the expression of a patriotic Indian sentiment and the presentation of an Indian narrative (be it in war movies or even any other genre), while being very critical of the Pakistani establishment, doesn’t translate into bigotry for the average Pakistani. This can be seen in movies such as Border which shows the hero saluting both the Indian and Pakistani flags and wishing for peace to prevail, as well as Gadar which shows the protagonist as willing to say ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ (but refusing to say ‘Hindustan Murdabad’). This movie also presents a Pakistani Muslim friend of his being of great help. Even the movie Phantom features Pakistani Muslims helping Indians in fighting terrorism without any incentives. Main Hoon Na showed Indian security forces combat Indian jingoists obstructing a peace initiative with Pakistan. Besides, many other movies like English Vinglish, Namaste London, London Dreams, Goal and several others have showcased friendships between those hailing from India and Pakistan among those settled overseas. The movies Filmistaan and Kya Dilli Kya Lahore have focused on the theme of peace and friendship between Indians and Pakistanis and both the movies are absolutely brilliant. Bajrangi Bhaijan, in fact, went to the other extreme in terms of trying to convince Indian Hindus to abandon any form of radicalism and embrace peace (overlooking the biases that it can subtly feed in Pakistani/non-Indian audiences) by exaggerating every practising Hindu character in India as casteist and Islamophobic. As a Hindu, this made me feel somewhat uncomfortable, although I know that the intention was not to offend. Equally, I must also emphasize that the Pakistani film Khuda ke Liye was highly acclaimed in India. I myself have watched that movie four times over, in spite of my reservations over some dialogues like one wherein the innocent Pakistani musician on being asked by an American official why all terrorists are Muslims even if the vice versa isn’t true, instead of rebutting the fallacious notion of terrorism being a Muslim monopoly, further goes on to describe all Muslims globally as a nation. And that too, he describes Muslims as being the only nation that has been subjected to injustice, as if no non-Muslim has ever faced injustice anywhere and as if to rationalize to a certain extent, though certainly not justified, terrorism. However, on the whole, the film offers a brilliant take against terrorism and religious autocracy. I even made it a point to show it to a devout Muslim gentleman who is an alumnus of the Deoband Madrasa and who comes to my home to teach me Urdu (a language that I wish to learn out of sheer interest), and he loved the movie overall too. Though, on the whole, the film offers a brilliant take against terrorism and religious autocracy. I even made it a point to show it to a devout Muslim gentleman who is an alumnus of the Deoband Madrasa and who comes to my home to teach me Urdu (a language that I wish to learn out of sheer interest), and he loved the movie overall too. Ramchand Pakistani and Bol were also acclaimed in India and again, rightly so in my opinion. I personally found the Pakistani movie Shararat (2003) pretty decent. From Pakistan, more than films, television serials have become a talking point in India and Zindagi, a channel showcasing Pakistani serials, has been a massive hit, as have been some serials in earlier times too. Pakistani comedians such as Shakeel Siddiqui and Umer Shareef have also won the hearts of many Indians. These films and serials have played a positive role in highlighting our similarities in leading day-to-day lives and dispelling prejudices about ‘the other’. For instance, a fellow Indian who had never travelled abroad and who didn’t go to a very elite school once related an incident to me. He saw a certain Pakistani serial depicting a jeans-wearing, married, working Pakistani woman with male friends which he had thought of as unimaginable, but the serial changed his perception for the better. Personally, I am not very optimistic about dialogue between the governments of India and Pakistan until some structural changes take place in governance patterns so that horrendous occurrences like the militant attacks at Gurdaspur and Pathankot do not keep recurring. But I do believe that person-to-person contact and cultural exchanges must be allowed to continue, as far as possible, for a brighter future. There are those creating obstacles in the same, like the Shiv Sena in India, but I believe that their goons do not represent the spirit of Mumbai. The spirit of Mumbai is better represented by the many Mumbaikars crowd-funding the medical treatment in a Mumbai hospital of a Pakistani girl Saba suffering from the Wilson’s disease. Similar humanity was exhibited by the Edhi Foundation in Pakistan, which took care of the disabled Indian girl Geeta. She was left behind in Pakistan and this particular Pakistani trust even constructed a Hindu temple for her. And yes, there’s also the Burney trust, which paid the ransom to Somali pirates for the release of Indians In fact, even in the context of the relatively recent controversy about Ghulam Ali’s concert; while the recent actions by Shiv Sena are undoubtedly condemnable, why overlook his numerous concerts in India over the years, or an invitation for a concert in Delhi by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting him? Although I am not an uncritical admirer of Modi, I would like to point out his victory in the national elections with a vote-share of less than 40 per cent was a result of a very justifiable anti-incumbency sentiment. This was a result of Indians being upset over the increasing inflation and unemployment, coupled with him portraying an image of embracing religious pluralism, leading even a sizable number of Muslims to vote for him. However, over 60 per cent of Indians, irrespective of religion, did not vote for him but were not united on an alternative. This also reminds me of how Shiv Sainiks’ opposition to the movie My Name is Khan, owing to Shah Rukh Khan’s remark on Pakistani cricketers vis-à-vis the Indian Premier League, didn’t lead most Indians to boycott the film. The boycott calls from sections of the Hindu right for Haider and PK hardly had much impact either, though I appreciate them not resorting to vandalism on these occasions. My name is Khan proved to be a blockbuster, just like Indian films continue to be popular in Pakistan, despite the rants of some extremists. And yes, in this regard, the official ban of Haider in Pakistan came as a shock to me. It was screened in India peacefully, despite being very critical of human rights violations by rogue elements in the Indian security forces within Kashmir, which certainly deserve condemnation. Similar allegations exist regarding Pakistani security forces in Balochistan, levelled by the very same international human rights organisations that level them for their Indian counterparts. Believing only what we would like to in either case would be sheer confirmation bias. The film Haider, while primarily being critical of the Indian state machinery, also made some passing references critical of Pakistani policies, which led to its ban in Pakistan, but the criticism of those Pakistani policies is indeed genuinely advanced by Kashmiris on both sides of the LoC. I, for one, like very many other Indians, am a fan of Atif Aslam. The memory of a night in February 2008 will remain amongst my most pleasant ones. I had attended a certain concert of his in Ahmedabad with college friends. I am indeed glad Bollywood gave Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ali Zafar and Fawad Khan a chance to showcase their talent. Ali Zafar won me over when he was moved to tears over a question put forth to him. He was asked about the love he received from the people of India and Pakistan and what he makes of the hostility between the two countries. He gave a fitting response to a Pakistani actor when asked why he works in an enemy country. His reply is indeed worth pondering over, which was we should strive for less bloodshed and more music. Yes, indeed.