Urban Eating

Urban Eating

Published in 'Instep Today'

31st July, 2007

By Fariha Rashed
July 14th saw the opening of a brand new Bakery and Coffee Shop in Lahore. Yes, yes, I know! ‘Another one?!’ you ask. Let me put your mind at ease. This bakery/coffee shop IS a little different for the sole reason that it ends up serving more than one purpose. If you want to know how, do read on.

The orange-ish building of ‘The Urban Chef’ is situated on main Ghazi Road in Defence. Surprisingly, it managed to quite easily cater to nearly 200 invited people at its opening, which was organized by JB & Jaws Productions. Other than the free food [something Lahoris can never resist!] there were other kinds of interesting attractions at the event. Mr. Abrar-ul-Haq, along with his family, made an appearance as the Chief Guest, and one saw him enjoying a good round of colorful cocktails and scrumptious food the coffee house-come-bakery has to offer. A nice kid from BNU called Haroon sat propelled on a stool with an acoustic guitar in hand and sang ‘Manwarai’ by Noori and ‘This Love’ by Maroon 5. The audience looked quite pleased and entertained.

As one walks into the bakery, one’s eyes are met with an abundance of color. Rows of shelves on the walls behind the counter have cans and cans of juices and soft drinks placed on them. The Urban Chef is basically divided into four floors. The basement floor is a sheesha lounge, where people can also enjoy special flavored drinks. Apparently the entire place can be booked for private functions as well. The ground floor is the bakery, and looks somewhat like Gourmet. Both bakeries also more or less offer similar items, both homemade and foreign. The first floor is the restaurant, where people can indulge in all kinds of desi and continental food. The restaurant seems to be catering to a more sophisticated and mature market. The second floor is another sitting area, where again one has access to food types such as pizza, desi dishes, and continental food. The second floor is also appropriate for small gatherings, gigs, movie shows and parties. It’s formed more like a small hall that can accommodate about 80 people.

It is nice to see that there are more traditionally styled bakeries opening up in Lahore. ‘The Urban Chef’ is affordable, stocked well with fresh eateries, and with its sheesha lounge, caters to a very important part of the population – the youth.

The Croquis Guru

The Croquis Guru

Published in 'Images' [Dawn]

July 29th 2007

By Fariha Rashed
Bilal Ashraf walks confidently through the door breaking into a warm smile as he greets me. He may be a man of short stature but his impeccable talent as a fashion illustrator renders him the tallest man alive in my eyes. I am meeting him after many years, but I remember vividly that at fashion school everyone used to envy and look up to Bilal. His fashion illustrations were by far the best in the entire school. His croquis [fashion illustrations] were always intense and flawless. He was a maestro in his field. So what has the man accomplished thus far? Well to start with, while at Pakistan School of Fashion Design, Bilal won third prize in an international fashion competition held in Belgium. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. He has gone on to accomplish much more. I see a maturity in Bilal, both with regard to his work and his demeanor that I feel must have come with extensive experience and living abroad. When talking about his work Bilal has a fire in his eyes I have rarely seen before. Passion for what he does spills over like sizzling larva all through my conversation with him. His firm hand gestures and unconscious throwing in of Arabic words here and there prove that living in Egypt for the past so many years has had a lasting influence on him. Through the course of my interview with him I found out that he is very well versed in his field. He as an artist is more then willing to impart knowledge to others and is on a constant quest for learning.

Bilal, how did you end up in Egypt?

I had no special plans to go to Cairo. I had graduated from Pakistan School of Fashion Design [PSFD] in 1999 and eventually joined the Crescent Group in Pakistan. I was offered a chance to become Brand Manager Levis for the Asia-Pacific Division and at the same time I was also offered to teach at Institute Technique de la Mode [ITM] in Cairo. The offer from Cairo came as a result of my good friend Irfan Cheema who had already been teaching there. After great contemplation I decided to go to Egypt in 2002 and I began teaching four subjects at ITM – Fashion Design, Textile Design, Accessory Design, and History of Costume. I started off teaching only Fashion Design to three batches and my students went to the principal the second day and asked that I should teach them more subjects. The main reason for my choice to leave Pakistan and move abroad was that I was bored after spending two years in the industry here. With the Crescent Group I was doing work related to garments but it was related to hard core manufacturing and had no creativity to it.

Did you face any problems teaching in a foreign land and how have you found the country so far?

It is known as the African Republic of Egypt and this country has great history. It was ruled by the French, the Ferons and then Islam. Therefore Egypt is extremely cross-cultural and it people’s features are also unique. A lot of students know French, English and German. I am teaching design oriented subjects so I do not find any communication problems with my students. My subjects are about expression of feelings more then anything else. Egyptians by nature are humble people and their thriving tourism allows them to deal very well with foreigners.

Why do you think Pakistani fashion brands are stagnant and lack branding?

For branding everything from the logo, marketing campaign, to the models used matters. A brand has to research, innovate and invent. I think Teejays is the only revolutionary brand that ever existed in Pakistan. The label played with the shalwar kameez and made it a status symbol. It broke the rules and catered to the masses. No one is doing this now. The only setback for Teejays was that it did not move with the times. Fashion is about change which is the only constant. Egypt is also a Muslim country but they dress in a Western/European style as well. They wear white gowns in their weddings and black suits in their funerals. Pakistan needs to progress with regard to new styles of dressing as well.

You started your own business in Cairo. Can you tell us a little about that?

My student Sara and I set up our own business last year. This June, we established our brand [atelier] in Cairo. We offer formals, casuals and exclusive attire with our own prints on it. Fashion, art and design are brought together under one roof by us. Sara and I are not bound by the limitations of the industry. We also have the best printers, Mario Printers, working with us. Initially they were not agreeing to print only 300 pieces for us as that is no quantity for them. However, once the owner saw our work he opened his arms to us. Sara and I named our label BSAR’AI, ‘B’ standing for Bilal of course. The reason why I started my business in Egypt and not Pakistan is because in Pakistan you can’t innovate much with the shalwar kameez. All you can do is play around with the neckline or the embellishments on the kameez. In Egypt I am getting a chance to apply all kinds of innovation to my work. I can easily play around with cuts and I have a very educated team, which largely consists of my own students. Also, I have an exceptional partner. Sara belongs to a family that owns a very large group called the Riyad Group in Egypt. This group deals in fabrication, knitwear exports etc. However, Sara wanted to follow her own dreams instead of joining her family business. She and I compliment each other completely. Our design sense and philosophy are the same. We do of course face some conflict between us at times, but I feel that is healthy. I scribble the signature of our company on all my fashion illustrations as I believe everything we do should be as a team.

How has Egypt responded to your fashion illustrations and your fashion designing?

Egypt on the whole has not been exposed to fashion illustrations much. I received a lot of compliments for my illustrations, and the most encouraging comment I got about my work was from people who said “we see ourselves in it”. Dressing has been around from the time of Adam. I believe strongly that you “wear what you are”. One must always be comfortable in what one wears. Your dressing should make you feel confident. It protects you and lets you portray yourself to the world the way you want. Illustration is also a strong form of art and it entails function, aesthetics and design sense. Art representing fashion creates style, mood and attitude. One should be able to tell the time period the illustration is set in, just by looking at it. I don’t believe that fashion and art can be separated so why not combine it with the industry as well? In Pakistan the problem is that industrialists don’t care about the designer. Take a look at United Colors of Benetton for example. They have a strong message of unity for mankind which is represented through the unity of colors. This is a good philosophy. In the same way, Gucci has sleek models, and Versace has broad models. All brands have some element which stays constant and is representative of their brand. In Pakistan there is no such sense of similarity in designing with regard to labels and brands. I think Nilofer Shahid is the only one who has a strong sense of identity. When I worked with her right after graduation, I learnt a lot. I learnt foremost to be a designer with a distinct and clear philosophy.


Are you satisfied with everything that you are currently doing?

I’m teaching, I have my own label, I’m doing my fashion illustrations – I have everything. Yes, I am very satisfied and if I stop doing even one of these things I will lose a part of myself. All aspects compliment each other.

Who are your inspirations and who do you feel you have learnt the most from in life?

Marisse who taught us pattern making and draping at fashion school is the reason why I am what I am today. She was a turning point in my life. Rashid Rana, my drawing teacher at PSFD taught me a lot too. However, learning can’t come from teachers alone. It comes from students also. I believe it is a give and take relationship. I have also learnt a lot from my partner Sara. She brings out the best in me and is one of my main sources of inspiration. We are a team and I need her input in everything. I believe people like Asif Haq, Imran Muzaffar and Ghulam Moiuddin from PSFD can truly make a difference in Pakistan. They all have a unique way of working. I also learnt a lot from Kaleem Khan and Hamid Baloch who taught me how to draw in Quetta at the Foundation of Anatomy. With regards to international renowned illustrators, Antonio Lopez who is one of the best illustrators of the world and David Downton have inspired me a lot. I think a mixture of knowledge, awareness, exposure and education are the essential ingredients for any success story, and I am lucky enough to have all of them. For me, seeing is learning, so everything I see is an inspiration. I learn from nature and nurture [culture]. I pick things from different people, store them, and utilize them best by inculcating them with my own taste.

You recently held your first fashion illustration exhibition in Cairo. Tell us a little about it, how you prepared your pieces and what kind of a reaction you received for it.

I intentionally used a lack of color in my first exhibition. I was inspired by the Chinese way of using solid black ink. It takes you in and is a very strong medium. My stroke on the paper has to be my last stroke because with ink, there is no room for correction once you make a mistake. This concept really excites me. Although it is not a very neat medium, the artist has to have a lot of control to manage it. I believe there is a strong link between being genius and mad. I also believe one should allow oneself to make mistakes as this let’s artists in particular, come out of the box and find out what they are capable of. As Picasso said, “be fearless like a child”. What he meant by this was that child’s art is fearless, bold, energetic and colorful. The child does not hold back. An artist should be fearless like a child yet controlled in his craft. I can find myself with one million chances for making a mistake while using ink. I use the same brush throughout to give strokes and therefore my brushes finish after one painting. I invent constantly while I work, challenging myself and opening doors for learning. My decisions are very quick while I paint and I find that to be the fun part of it. It was a challenge to show the feel of clothes, hair and shoes etc while using just one color. Also, with this exhibition, I did not make an intentional effort to make asymmetrical lines. This exhibition was about energy executed through intense lines and bold strokes. Fashion was transformed into illustration through this exhibition. For me, the urge to portray style, mood and attitude gave birth to an art form that has been a mode of visual expression for many exceptional individuals.

The exhibition had 30 pieces in all and I made each piece in four hours. It took me five months all together to complete them. The exhibition was inaugurated on 12th may 2007 at Sakiat-El-Sawy, situated in the heart of Cairo. This location is a very famous cultural centre in Cairo. There is something exciting happening to promote youngsters there every night. I had the good luck of acquiring a lot of big sponsors such as Mobinil [equivalent to Mobilink] and the Arab African Bank etc for my show, which went on for nine days. O Tv, a new Egyptian satellite channel by Orascom, covered the event and recorded me live at my college while I gave a demonstration to my students. Through this exhibition I wanted Egyptians to get exposed to new forms of art and fashion. As a rule, people have to be introduced to a product before they put their hands on it, which is what I planned to do through my exhibition. I sold them a philosophy which encouraged them to find out what fashion illustrations are. Once the exhibition ended I got good feedback. I was offered to do illustrations for a children’s book, designers wanted me to teach them fashion illustration, and Sakiat-El-Sawy wanted me to hold workshops at their venue.

How would you describe your own work?

Fashion is for your own self. If it’s in you, then it’s good. Whatever I do for a living is exactly how I want to live. Personally I don’t like images in which I feel the model is trying too hard. A certain feel should emanate from my illustrations. I do portray dramatic postures at times but the models have distinct expressions in their eyes.

The rest of your siblings are also artists. Why do you think all three of you pursued this particular field?

Our nana was a tailor but none of our family members were artists. Me elder brother Jawad is a photographer, and my younger brother is also doing fashion. I guess it was just meant to be!

What does the future hold for Bilal Ashraf?

I want to learn, learn and learn some more! I believe designers and industrialists need to know each other and I will strive to make that happen. Designers have to be exposed to art, and do not necessarily need to be technically educated. R&D departments are making new developments around the world; those developments are then taken to designers who use them in their collections. Subsequently famous models wear the clothes and media critics at the show give the collections coverage. Next, celebrities wear the same designs and a demand for them is triggered by the masses. Orders go back out to the industry for cost effective clothes to be made. It is a cycle that Pakistan needs to fast adopt. I plan to do whatever I can to make it happen.

Bilal, after literally hanging off the edge of his chair for an hour, sinks back and relaxes in his seat as the interview comes to an end. Taking a closer look at his work I realize that Bilal’s fashion illustrations are wild and controlled all at the same time. He has a firm grip on the medium. His strokes are both fierce and light in the right places but every piece speaks out on an individual level. The pieces look just as good up close as they do from afar. Every stroke of ink has a different emotion behind it and it almost feels like the ink is dancing across the canvas having a life of its own. There is an air of perfection in Bilal’s work. One would have to struggle very hard and long to find any mistakes whatsoever.

A Rocking Tribute

A Rocking Tribute
Published in World Music
July/August Issue

By Fariha Rashed
It was Friday the 20th of April 2007. A few friends and I found ourselves making our may to Saint Anthony’s college, situated on that long winding road called The Mall. We were enthusiastically looking forward to a fun night of loud music played by a bunch of old and young musicians that haven’t gotten together in ages. The night was largely organized by Cecil Chaudhry and Shahzad Hameed to commemorate Babar Khan, lead vocalist for the band Trip. Babar sadly died in 1997. Rumor has it that he was shot, but that claim cannot be substantiated, and therefore is at the end of the day just a rumor.

It was a beautiful night; the stars were out and the wind was blowing gently. Weather wise it couldn’t have been a more perfect day to hold a gig on. Stage and sound had been set up at one end of Saint Anthony’s roof top. The surrounding view, of the enchanting Church’s dome in particular, gave the whole ambience an air of nostalgia. The stage carried behind it three large backdrops of Babar’s smiling face. Lighting served to create a juxtaposition of brilliant colors that reflected off the backdrop and stage beautifully. Large carpets were spread across the floor in front of the stage to allow for comfortable seating. According to Shahzad Hameed prior rehearsals and set up of the equipment, stage etc took a lot of time. It’s a good thing that so much instance was invested in taking care of these details, because that’s what made the whole difference in the overall success of the gig….and a success it was indeed.

Before any of the singing began, a projector screen lit up with images of Babar through the years of his life. I thought that was a very touching display showing how much he is missed by his entire band and most musicians of Pakistan. Subsequently, the show kicked off with Shahzad Hameed who played two of his originals from his upcoming debut album. I specifically enjoyed his single ‘Fish out of Water’, which was sung by Shahzad with great fervor. He later returned on stage to play a little guitar on the song "Cocaine" and played bass on "Highway Star". What followed Shahzad’s initial performance was no less enthralling. It was the original Mind Riot consisting of Farhad Humayun on drums, Sheraz Siddiq on keyboards and Mehmood Rehman. The performance was tight and the audience loved seeing the band together again. Coven took to the stage next. The band consists of Hamza Jafri, Sikander Mufti on drums, Imran Shafiq, and Sameer Ahmed on base. Coven completely rocked the house with their energized performance. Sikandar in particular was powerful on drums. The band performed an improvised piece which blew the crowd away; whistles as well as ‘aaaah’s’ of approval could be heard resounding across the roof top.

By this point the audience was in full throttle, as were the performers, both enjoying the night immensely. The audience was reacting to musicians and the musicians were reacting to the audience’s appreciation of their skills on stage. It was a beautiful interacting to watch and be a part of. It took for Ahmed Ali Butt to bring an element of comedy to the event. He got on stage and passed a few sarcastic comments that had everyone smiling. He then went on to perform a few songs as a part of the band ‘Entity’. Once he got off stage, the original members of the band Trip came on. This was the moment everyone had been looking forward to. Cecil did a tremendous job on guitars and some of his solo portions were absolutely mind blowing. The flow of his fingers over the guitar strings was mesmerizing. I could see my friend, who was sitting right next to me, sway his head from side to side, completely lost in the moment. Various musicians came and went during Trip’s performance, each playing with them at different occasions and on different songs. The show went on into the wee hours of the night and it seemed even the audience just couldn’t get enough.

One realizes that seated in open air is always the best way to hear a live performance. Sound carries better in such an environment as it did on Saint Anthony’s spacious roof top. The sound engineers at the switch boards did a good job in controlling the levels of instruments and vocals. Also, intelligently the crowd present at the gig was invited by the organizers themselves. One saw all kinds of people from media, and the music industry. The event was not publicized on a grand scale and Cecil and Shahzad Hameed made the effort of calling people up themselves to invite them. This ensured that an interested and good group of people was there. Refreshments were available in abundance and I for one knocked back two bottles of coke during the stretch of the night.

The event started off a little late, but then the rest of the night more than made up for that initial little glitch. Overall the evening was a blazing success with some of the finest musicians Pakistan has ever produced performing together on one platform after years. It was a treat for any music lover well acquainted with the maestros. Even the Meekal Hassan Band made a five minute appearance to show their support for the cause. Unfortunately they had to rush to another gig they had lined up for the night and thus did not perform at Saint Anthony’s. Babar Khan must have been smiling down from the heavens, appreciating the show that was put up to tribute him as one of the greatest vocalists Pakistan has produced over time. I for one hope such entertaining and well organized events continue to take place on a regular basis. It warms the heart to know that Pakistanis have come quite far with regard to putting up a good show!

Review on 'Sajid & Zeeshan' Live in Lahore at LUMS. Event sponsored by Djuice, organised by LUMS Music Society & co-ordinated by Fariha Rashed.

Sajid and Zeeshan rock LUMS!
Published in 'Instep Today'

11th July, 2007

By Jazib Zahir

The dynamic duo of Sajid Ghafoor and Zeeshan Parwez descended upon the Lahore University of Management Sciences on July 7 – giving their audience a reason to let their hair down. It surely was a Saturday night well spent.

While Sajid and Zeshaan have been prominent in the Peshawar underground scene for some time and can regularly be spotted crooning on our television screens, their LUMS gig marked their live debut in Lahore! And thank goodness for that, considering the duo frequents Karachi for gigs and concerts more so than either Lahore or Islamabad.

The show was hosted in the central courtyard of the main academic building sealed by a tent in an attempt to thwart forecast showers. The organizers were students of the 'LUMS Music Society', a group of devoted amateurs keen to provide Lahore with avenues of entertainment. Telenor was the primary sponsor with the symbols of their newest service 'djuice' emblazoned around the venue. Like any show put on with a sound conscience, this one too had a humanistic bent with the crowd encouraged to 'open its hearts and empty its pockets' in support of the Agha Khan Memorial Trust fund.

Those who arrived by the designated hour were treated to the sight of Sajid and Zeeshan on stage conducting sound tests and warming up by playing short sections of their various hits. When the proceedings finally began, the audience was treated to the commendable amateur efforts of some local bands. The Aitchison College group warmed up the audience with two numbers, 'Cemetery Gates' and 'Crying in the Rain'. A group of LUMS students got the crowd bobbing its heads along with the catchy beat of a remix of Awaz's 'Jadoo Ka Charagh'. And a recent LUMS graduate, Ali Shahid, plucked the guitar while managing vocals that meshed nicely with a background flute.

Unfortunately, these early performances were plagued by long intervals since each group needed time to set up its equipment and undertake a basic sound test before it was ready to jam. Some of the amateurs also failed to account for the limitations of the electronic equipment and consequently, their crescendos were not received well by the audience. A portion of the crowd began to dwindle at this point.

Those who persisted were ultimately rewarded by the grand arrival of Sajid and Zeeshan. With their tools already meticulously tuned, Sajid and Zeeshan wasted no time in getting down to work. They announced their arrival by breaking into one of their lesser known songs, 'Free and Underestimated'. Sajid had the composed presence of a true professional behind the microphone. He strummed his guitar serenely while launching his powerful vocals at the delighted audience. He had significant command of his pitch in the presence of sensitive electronic equipment and it showed in the high fidelity of the sound produced.

This number was followed up by one more familiar to the audience, 'Freestyle Dive'. This song was distinguished by Zeeshan's contribution to the vocals, as he lifted his gaze to the heavens periodically and reverberated Sajid's words. But at no time did he desert the delicate devices at his fingertips. As the group techie, Zeeshan is responsible for all things electronic. This includes the dexterous use of the keyboard-cum-synthesizer to generate the pulsating techno beats that distinguish this brand of music. Courtesy the projector screen, members of the audience were treated to a close-up of the intricate dance of his fingers through each song. He managed to mix things up with a blend of scratches, riffs and slow beats that punctuated the beginning and end of each song.

'Deserts' allowed Sajid to exhibit his versatility as he relieved himself of the guitar strings briefly to draw a harmonica across his lips. The mellifluous chirps provided a special ingredient absent in most contemporary music forms. This song was slower and softer than the others and had the audience swaying with cell phones aloft, either to record the performance or just to generate some illumination of appreciation.

Sajid chose to swap guitars as he launched into a rendition of 'My happiness'. The audience responded with hoots of recognition. This was Sajid at his finest with this song allowing him to demonstrate the depths and flexibility of his vocal chords. Zeeshan, as always, patched in the gaps in the vocals with a jiggle of electronic beats. The lights joined the fun here, blinking and changing color to render a psychedelic touch. The encore was a stirring performance of 'King of Self' - the hit that initially launched the duo to prominence. This version was distinguished by a protracted jam that had much of the crowd swaying.

In all, Sajid and Zeeshan played seven songs while engaging in friendly chatter with the audience and fitting in a pitch for their album One Light Year at Snail Speed. They will be in town for at least a few more days so you may hear of another Lahore performance very soon. Judging by how well the performance was received at LUMS, it may not be long before the duo is ready to transition to music as a full time occupation.



--Photos by Wasim Sajid

Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis

Printed in 'Anokhi Vibe' [Canadian Magazine]

July 2007 Issue

By Fariha Rashed

Among the many students graduating yearly from Pakistan School of Fashion Design, only a few step out with a vision for the future. Mehdi, who graduated in 2001, was one of those ‘enlightened’ designers who had clear goals for himself and knew the path he would be taking in trying to establish his label. Believing that education is the backbone for every professional, Mehdi lays great emphasis and importance on fashion designers being educated in their field and qualified to do what they do. He believes that although people can learn a lot from their surroundings and have inborn talent, for the field of fashion in particular, it is essential for designers to be technically sound and possess that expertise at their fingertips. This may not have been a necessity a few years back, but now with the abundance of competition that has arisen within the Pakistani fashion industry and the growing awareness among people, it plays a vital role in determining the success or failure of any designer.

Once he graduated, Mehdi took a year of f, during which time he pursued his passion for painting, pottery-making and sculpting before eventually returning to his profession as a designer. Once he did return however, he poured his heart and soul into it. During his time off, Mehdi contemplated how he would test himself as a designer. He wanted to test not just himself, but also his sense of color, his sense of fabric and his sense of embellishment. He wanted to figure out where his strength lay. He started out by creating a collection with casual and western wear to challenge his designing abilities. He discovered that he was not only capable of coming up with a casual and western wear collection, but also a bridal wear line. He researched color and fabrics and learnt through trial and error where and how to mix and match them. He realized that no matter what, Mehdi had to be a successful brand. He is proud of his achievement and believes that he has accomplished what he set out to do.

Like all other designers, Mehdi too has certain inspirations from which he derives his collections and comes up with ideas for his garments. It is beauty from which Mehdi is most profoundly inspired and he strongly believes that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. As a designer he finds beauty in everything. He is also stimulated by music, ‘ghazals’ being the one form of music that inspire his designing the most. The process of designing for Mehdi is almost ritualistic in nature. He has to be in the right mood and frame of mind to create and reflect his imagination in his work. Designing a collection is the most important time as opposed to when a single outfit is being created on paper. Being in the right mood allows a designer to relate one outfit to another and achieve subsequent harmony in the collection. Mehdi’s collection is the outcome of a combination of elements which surround him at the time of designing. Those may include anything from the colors around him, the music he is listening to or even nature.

Mehdi was born in Sheikhupura and has grown up between Lahore and his home town. He has a very simple, educated family which includes four brothers [including him], and one sister. ‘I love my family and I believe wherever I have reached today is due to my mother’s blessings’. Mehdi studied at Saint Mary’s School after which he joined PSFD. He remembers being quite good at his studies and topped his class. Art was something Mehdi always loved and enjoyed as a form of expression. He believes that being artistic is inborn for Shahzad and himself, as no one in their family had any interest in the field. Mehdi says ‘Shahzad and I are lucky we discovered out inner talent’. Growing up with a famous elder brother inspired Mehdi who has witnessed Ather and Shahzad be the best in their field ever since they started out. ‘I always noticed their professionalism and dedication towards their work. It is from there that I realized that hard work and dedication is the key to success. I am really proud of them’, says Mehdi. Although Mehdi is tired of being taunted about his relation to Shahzad, he does not deny for a minute that having his established brother in the fashion field is a huge help to him. He is not ashamed of it in any way and believes that anyone should embrace their sibling’s support and help, if it is available. Furthermore, no matter how much Shahzad supports Mehdi, he can only contribute to his success to a certain extent. It is a professional’s own hard work, luck and effort that will lead to his/her triumph at the end of the day. Mehdi knows that his clients come to him because of the name he has created in the industry for himself and not because he is Shahzad’s brother.

Probably one of Mehdi’s best fashion shows, and worth mentioning here, was Vanity Fair held last year in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. The designer showcased his Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2006 collection. The show was all about vanity, carving eternal stories of passion and Mehdi’s own conception of the word beauty. Mehdi explains that he tried to make a statement regarding this word by showcasing his designs in various thematic segments. The show started off with the dazzling ‘Mystery’ segment which consisted of garments in black. Black to Mehdi is the epitome of beauty. ‘The segment was all about western wear and larger than life images’, explains the designer. Then followed the trendy casual wear and the elegant ‘sari’s’ collection. Evening wear, formal wear and bridals were next. Each segment had a cover theme and there were eight breathtaking segments in total. The cuts were simple yet suave and the flowing fabrics were embellished in a kaleidoscope of shimmering colors. The extravagant head gears, beautiful accessories and crisp make-up and styling done by Ather Shahzad all combined exquisitely to create a perfect effect. There were a total of hundred outfits which is a large number for any seasoned designer to come up with for a single show. Nineteen top models of the country strutted down the ramp, wrapped in Mehdi’s seductive creations. Among them were the stunning Iman Ali, Vaneeza Ahmed, Iraj Manzoor, Tanya Shafi, Zainab Qayyum and Meesha. Although PC management assigned to manage the event was a little on the unprofessional side with regard to starting the show on time and being courteous to guests and media people, the show itself more than made up for the initial stress that audience members had to endure. Speaking about the effort that goes into putting up a show of the scale of Vanity Fair, Mehdi says ‘I work day and night for a fashion show and I start out by determining how many outfits I need. I have to do at least a hundred sketches before I confirm the ten final sketches for one collection. It takes month to organize and finish everything and I do everything myself’. Mehdi personally buys fabric from the market for his collections and chooses the material for the embellishments also. He pays special attention to all details and has managed to secure a good relationship with his tailors and embellishers. It is by being personally involved from start to end that a designer comes up with an extraordinary and unique collection.

Mehdi has introduced a signature style of his own and has in this way supplied fresh new styles, looks and trends to the fashion scene. ‘I introduced hot and loud colors such as neon pink in my collections. I also introduced the Capri pants and short shirts. That was my signature style’. In his latest Vanity Fair collection Mehdi introduced long gowns, and he wants to show something different in every new show that he does in the future. Among the local designers, he likes Banto Kazmi’s work as he believes she adds color beautifully to bridal wear. As far as following the international forecast goes, Mehdi follows the colors that are in. However, he believes that Pakistani designers need to follow trends according to our culture’s own limitations. ‘The international forecast can be incorporated in our fashion sensibility and style’ he explains. Mehdi’s personal fashion statement is casual. He is comfortable in jeans, a t-shirt and joggers.
This year Mehdi showcased his summer collection 2007 at a fashion show that he called the ‘Viva Glam Show’. It took place at the Royal Palm in Lahore. The beautiful assortment of clothes was, as the line’s title suggests, meant to dazzle and mystify, and so it did. Mehdi received rave reviews for the show and the creative, yet very wearable collection. The capri pant seems to have replaced the shalwar once again this summer. A cool turquoise for both men and women seems to be the color Mehdi chose to introduce to the fashion conscious this summer.

Mehdi understands the importance of international exposure for Pakistani designers. He has showcased collections in Romania, the USA, and Brunei in the past. However he strongly believes that at the moment Pakistan needs fashion more than other countries do. He wants to be stable as a designer in his own country and wants to contribute in spreading awareness about fashion here. ‘I’m a proud Pakistani and before showcasing abroad, I would first take every opportunity to do shows and sell here.’ Mehdi also states that the Pakistani fashion council issue is one he does not understand. The industry is a small one and the council, if it exists, should be for the benefit of all designers. The fashion council’s main aim should be to show our talent in fashion to the world and not a power play between old and new designers. The government should encourage and help local designers be a part of international fashion fairs.

To the younger lot of designers entering the fashion industry carrying with them a bundle of doubts, Mehdi says ‘be confident’. He admits that starting out is not easy as trouble seems to come from all nooks and corners. The fashion field in particular is one where designers are thoroughly scrutinized and people criticize them a lot. Mehdi wisely advises young designers to handle the situation and negativity surrounding them as it is unavoidable. Once again he believes that with good education and know-how related to fashion and its basic rules, any aspiring designer can make it as long as he/she is confident about what they are doing. Mehdi says ‘you have to show people that you are right’. Furthermore, the Pakistani fashion industry has evolved with leaps and bounds and there is greater acceptance of fashion designing as a career than there was a few years back. It is seen as a full fledged profession. It must be pointed out that media has helped to promote fashion to a large extent. It has delivered it to the masses, who now truly understand the concept of designer wear. Initially it was only available and understandable to the elite. In the future Mehdi aspires to spread fashion all around Pakistan, and with this young, enthusiastic designer going through an amazing metamorphosis right before our very eyes, there is no doubt that he will accomplish exactly that.

Mehdi’s favorite:
Song ---- Falling Into You by Celine Dion
Scent --- Beyond Paradise
International designer --- Jean Paul Gautier
Movie --- Moulin Rouge
Hangout --- Anywhere with my family
Friend --- Myself
Color --- Black [because I can see all the shades in black]
Fabric --- Chiffon
Accessory --- Caps
Cuisine --- Thai
Fashion Magazine --- VOGUE
International Model [Male & Female] --- Naomi Campbell [female]
Arjun Rampal [male]

Jeans & A Band of Boys

Published in 'Eyecandy' [The Post]

24th June, 2007

By Fariha Rashed
The invite, a black and white Polaroid picture splattered across with Coven band members, was enough eye candy to make any young girl rush over to see the gig! The well designed pass, gripped tightly in my hand read, 'Coven Live at the Levis Flagship Store….8th June…9pm onwards'.

Surprisingly the gig started almost on time. Credit must be given to the official organizers Radio 1 FM 91and JB & Jaws Productions, for ensuring that a good ensemble of people were invited to see Coven live in action. The gig took place in the spacious basement of the Levis' store on the busy MM Alam Road. As I walked down the winding staircase, I was given free cans of Red Bull, the company also being one of the official sponsors of the gig. By the time I got there, signing and handing out of the band's album had already been concluded. After mingling with the likes of Omar Chaudhry [Levis Brand Manager], musician Shehzad Hameed, RJ Fizza Aslam, and fashion designer Rabya Butt, people were making their way to an area enclosed in glass. This space is usually crowded with trendy accessories and Levis' exclusive vintage collection of jeans. However, for the gig, the entire area was cleared out and Coven had set up their instruments at the far end of the square room. The Jammin Java Cafe was the first place that fans turned to when they needed anything to drink. The ambience was created by a myriad of lighting effects. One of the oldest vintage jeans, boxed in a glass encasing hung behind Sikandar Mufti as he started the gig with drumming of the drums. The crowd huddled together was left anticipating a great evening of music that would tempt insurmountable amounts of foot stomping and head banging. They got just that!

Each one of the Coven boys took their places on the floor, clad in Levi attire. Sikandar instantly blew everyone away with his wild thumping at the drum set. The band began with an instrumental and slowly built up the pace. Sailing Fast was the first and by far the best performance of the night. Sikandar Mufti's energized drum beats, Sameer Ahmed's tight bass playing, Omran Shafique's electrifying lead and Hamza Jafri's soulful rhythm, amalgamated to build the instrumental up into a rock-inspired musical fury! The band launched into subsequent compositions, one after the other, driving the crowd to the point of insanity as young boys and girls hooted and sang along. Hamza Jafri's impeccable vocals were crisp and powerful, yet singing for an hour and a half takes a lot of stamina and by the end of the show he began to tire, which affected his ability to sing with the same intensity. The constant sweating due to lack of ventilation at the venue may have contributed to this happening.

Omran was clearly versatile on lead. His body movements uniquely blended with his playing style, as he shifted his weight from side to side while strumming with great fervour. He lit a cigarette after every few songs and it truly seemed like the entire band was jamming in its back yard, completely relaxed and at ease. There was a loud, yet intimate communication between the audience and the band. They crowd exuded an aura of encouragement while the band responded by offering a hard hitting performance.

Sameer Ahmed is known as one of the best bassists in Pakistan, and he proved just why, yet again, at the gig. His bass playing was solid and added masterfully, to the already brilliant Coven sound. Sikandar, it seems, only gets better every time he performs. His wrist movements are agile and his beat was confident. Best of all, anyone watching him could tell that he was completely immersed in what he was doing. His facial expressions aren't to be missed!

The gig was a roaring success. Coven was loud, passionate and most of all won the hearts of all present at the event. For a band not very fond of commercial collaborations, the boys made a smart move entering into a contract with a label that specifically linked itself with rock music all around the world. Being the brand ambassadors for Levis will take them far. Music lives in Coven's core and no amount of commercialism can take that way from them, it can only help to add to it and give them access to bigger venues and more gigs. We hope to see a whole lot more of the band in the near future.

Global Ambition

Published in 'Images' [Dawn]
24th June, 2007

By Fariha Rashed
August marks the release of Karachi-based Karavan’s long-awaited new album that comes after an extended gap. The year 2007 is also one in which Assad Ahmed (former Awaz member and guitarist) and Tanseer Daar (vocalist) complete a decade as a mainstream band. Currently recording the yet unnamed album at Assad’s studio, they have done three songs with another seven to go. It is the fourth studio and fifth overall album by the band.

“It’s not going to be a small affair because with it we also celebrate 10 years in the music industry. The feel to the new album will be different this time with more mature songwriting and heavy in all the right places. The stuff we have been working is miles ahead of what we had been doing in the past,” says Assad.

However, lyrically speaking, Tanseer doesn’t feel it is much different from their first four albums. “This time the songs are by Adnan Ahmed. He used to write for us before and the album Safar was by him. He co-wrote Gardish with Sajid Zafar and this time Anees Ahmed is doing two or three songs as well besides Adnan. We sit down with them and sense the direction of the songs they have written. If we leave them on their own, it gets complicated for us as performers because they use a lot of heavy words. This time there will be easier words and beats,” he explains.

One thing that Assad says they have learnt over the years is “when you write a song that connects with people on any level it’s great because it will always take them back to the moment when they first heard it. This time we have all the ingredients to make a great Karavan album. I think that if Gardish was the bar that we were measured by, we’ve managed to raise that bar this time.”

“People mostly go to India to become famous but we are beyond that. We want to
go there and look at India as another territory to play in. We don’t care about
record sales. Pakistan may be home, but you can’t stay here for the rest of your
life,” says Karavan guitarist Assad Ahmed

There is an element of motivation in one of the songs on the new album, called Sara Jahan. There is also one called Kaise Mumkin Hai, which is something the band has never done before. According to Assad, it is one of those songs that take you away to a far-off place. “We try to do what we do best and evolve within that frame.

“People are now listening more with their eyes than their ears. With all the TV channels coming up, now people only know you for the videos you come out with. So if you have an album out and you’ve done a video, they only know you through that one song. This is apart from your hardcore fan base of course,” he adds.

Tanseer feels that his vocals have kept on changing through time, “Usually, it occurs naturally. It’s the fans and band mates that make you conscious of the change. Your voice is not an instrument that you practice with and it gets better. Also, we are not from a family that supports careers in music. As a result, in an environment where you have no support, it is quite difficult to improve oneself,” says the lead vocalist.

Assad adds that if you stop evolving as a singer, bassist or a musician, it’s all over. “Just hang up your instrument and say thank you very much, it’s been a good ride and good night — Elvis has basically left the building. I remember when Tanseer first joined the band; I thought to myself ‘what are we going to do’? This guy can’t even sing. I told him to lock himself in a room and practice. In those eight months, on a scale from one to 10, this guy went up to at least 7.5. It’s all about applying himself.”

For the future, Karavan plans to come out with videos that are both cost-effective and creative. Assad explains that they picked out art students from the Indus Valley School in Karachi and asked some young students to come up with interesting concepts. “It’s about promoting young talent. We got in touch with a few people, Aman Ahmed being one of them. I’m not a big fan when it comes to making videos because I come from a generation that thinks radio gives artistes a break whereas television is just a marketing tool. However, you have to have good videos and for this album we’ll pretty much do the same. We might spend more money on them and have them done on film rather than video format.”

The band also plans to go to India with the new album this time. “People mostly go to India to become famous but we are beyond that. We want to go there and look at India as another territory to play in. We don’t care about record sales. Pakistan may be home, but you can’t stay here for the rest of your life,” points out the Karavan guitarist.

All of Assad and Tanseer’s attention is on the new album right now that will not just be released in Pakistan this year, but worldwide. “Most people want to go to the East but I believe our place is in the West. Desis and Asians, in general, are tuned in to rock music as much as the white man. I want to bridge the gap between us and the white man through this album. Hence, there are two English songs on the album which will be released there, not here” says Assad Ahmed sounding off.

Spreading the Word

Published in 'Images' [Dawn]
17th June, 2007

By Fariha Rashed
Ajoka Theatre’s play, Bullah, performed last week in Lahore was very appropriately timed in that it brought with it a strong message of peace and tolerance. It revived the true spirit of Bulleh Shah’s poetry, as his poetic message intermingled with the popular genre of drama grasped everyone’s attention in the audience. It seems the recent ban placed on Burqavaganza that was accused of ridiculing the veil and disrespecting Pakistani culture has, in essence, managed to attract more crowds to Ajoka’s plays.

Bullah tells the story of sufi poet Baba Bulleh Shah. Based on the events that came to pass during his lifetime, the play carries a strong message of love and a plea for world peace. Bulleh Shah’s teachings are based on tolerance and the play suggests that in today’s conflicting times we should spread his message extensively.

‘Bullah’ tells the story of sufi poet Baba Bulleh Shah. Based on the events of
his life, the play carries a strong message of love and a plea for world peace
along with an impressive blend of various aspects of literature and the
performing arts.

Ajoka, known to stress on social issues through its plays, moulded Bullah to address the present state of chaos in South Asia. The play started on time and as the lights dimmed, the events on stage began with devotees carrying Bullah’s mortal remains in a procession, chanting his verse: “It is not me who is in the grave it is another.” The backdrop of the play is set in Punjab at the time of the decline of the Mughal empire in the early 18th century. Sona (Kamran Mujahid) and Chandi (Furqan Majeed) act as narrators, giving comments on what the sufi poet had to contend with on various occasions.

The play is an example of what the magic of theatre is all about — an entertaining, live and interactive experience that carries with it a message that everyone can relate to. The play is a perfect blend of music and acting. Mian Shaharyar composed the music for the play and the kafis were sung by Khawar Ali Qawal and his ensemble accompanied by Arif Ali. As Sarfaraz Ansari (the lead actor who played Bullah) recited his poetry, the qawwals would enhance the recitations by offering their own music and voices as support. It was said that Sarfraz Ansari felt a personal affiliation with Bulleh Shah and elevated to a spiritual high while playing the role. This translated into a moving performance on his part.

The stage was not overly crowded with props and the lighting was impeccable. It created just the right ambience for each scene and gave depth to every character’s individual expressions. The dances were an important part of the play, lending through their movements a symbolic touch to the storyline. The live qawwali music intersecting throughout the play managed to enhance the performance marvelously. The actors themselves sang intensely and soulfully, clearly indicating that they were classically-trained singers as well.

The entire production was performed in Punjabi which is difficult to comprehend for many, but the actors’ powerful performances made understanding the story a whole lot easier. Lines were not forgotten, voices carried well across the entire stretch of the Alhamra hall and the space on stage was used intelligently by the actors which made the play visually appealing.

The dancers were in sync while the actors acting out the fight sequences were also quite agile. Both the dances and the fight sequences were choreographed with special attention paid to detail. The actors’ purposeful eye contact with the audience helped to keep them engaged for two whole hours. Eva Majid played the dancing girl Muradi Begum and Malik Aslam played Banda Singh Bahadur who avenged the deaths of Sikh saints. Both of them delivered convincing performances.

The last scene was one of the most powerful in the entire play and sums up the essence of the story: Bullah’s shrine is visited by devotees and Sona and Chandi proclaim that the sufi poet is still alive and loved through his teachings which will continue to live on for centuries after his demise.

The life history and contributions of Baba Bulleh Shah were artfully staged and accurately presented in Bullah. Madeeha Gauhar must be complemented for brilliant direction, Shahid Nadeem for writing a powerful script and Uzra Butt for strong choreography. The set designed by Aqeel Qazmi created an atmosphere which convincingly portrayed the living conditions and trends at the time of the sufi poet. The play is an impressive blend of various aspects of literature and performing arts that leaves a lasting impression on its audience.

Impressively, Ajoka is known to keep its set designs and backgrounds to a bare minimum, focusing entirely on acting, a strong meaningful script and brilliant background music. At the end of the day, the evening was a roaring success and it was good to see that the Pakistani public appreciates cultured theatre.

Staging 'Ethics'

Published in 'Images' [Dawn]
May 27th, 2007

By Fariha Rashed
What are the ingredients for a successful comical farce? The play should entertain and make you laugh, its message should be clear and concise, and it should engage you throughout the duration.

Ethics of Job Hunting, an original script written by Saad Sultan, possessed all these qualities and more. Directed by Ian Eldred and Saad Sultan, and produced by Younis Chaudhry, the play ran for three consecutive nights last week at the Alhamra in Lahore.

The story revolves round Mujtaba (Taimoor Shakuri), a young graduate from Lahore looking for a well-paying job. After more than six years of waiting in vain, he gets a once-in-a-lifetime break when a family friend, Zahid, settled in London (Timothy Abel) visits Pakistan. The friend is seeking out local talent for business purposes.

In order to land the job, Mujtaba is willing to wipe out any obstruction in his way, even if it is his own girlfriend who applies for the same position. However, when he visits Zahid equipped with a worthless degree, a frustrated, religiously-inclined elder brother and father, he has to face tough competition and his prospects look bleak. But he has a secret weapon at his disposal — Zahid’s engaged but flirtatious daughter.

The director points out that he thought the play was a good idea, as most of the scripts that have been performed locally in the past have been either European or American. “We thought it might be good if we encouraged local youth and talent with a script that carries indigenous characters that show Pakistani’s unique situations.

“I also thought it would be a good experience since I haven’t really done a production before,” says Ian about his stint as director. Saad had a skeletal outline for a script and Ian advised him to keep it simple and go with that.

‘Ethics of Job Hunting’ was a good effort by a bunch of daring youngsters who
put up a production in Lahore that sat well with the audience, despite facing
great limitations and hindrances. As Isaam pointed out, “People here need to get
out of that Shakespearean mindset and move on”

Ethics of Job Hunting was relevant in the sense that it tried to show, albeit subtly, that if society is to advance and progress, we should keep our ideals with us but not let them control us. This point was driven home through the character of Mujtaba’s brother, Mustafa, played brilliantly by Isaam Haris. Taimoor further points out that the characters in the play mirror people we see everyday as an intrinsic part of our society.

In spite of the voice projection classes before every rehearsal, there were still a few voice-projection blunders during the play. At times it was felt that the actors were running through their lines. The performance was also packed with a lot of moving and jumping around on the entire length of the stage as Ian meant for the play to be that energized. “We would have loved to cut down the pace, but to be very honest when you are doing it with new actors, they are sort of unsure of what to do on stage, so I gave them very precise movements to avoid any fidgeting. Taimoor was the only one given liberty to move around freely as he is an experienced actor,” said Ian.

“I played upon a topic that is so relevant to everyone out there who has looked for a job,” says Saad who plans to learn literature, philosophy and theatre from here on, not sure at this point if he would write another script anytime soon. “I just want to get an education first,” he says, talking about his plans for college.

The cast featured a good ensemble that worked well together and their performance on a whole was perfectly synchronised. Timothy Abel (also known as the gentle giant) in particular did a scene where he was meant to act high after accidentally smoking a joint. His performance was outstanding in this regard and had the audience in fits.

According to Timothy the best part about working in an amateur production is that one gets to meet lots of talented people. Uswa Amjad, Huma Mobeen and Jennifer Bhatti, who play the female leads in the play, believe that team work is what made the play a success.

Overall, Ethics of Job Hunting was a good effort by a bunch of daring youngsters who put up a production that sat well with the audience, despite facing great limitations and hindrances. As Isaam pointed out, “People here need to get out of that Shakespearean mindset and move on.”

“What each one of us will take away from this play and the experience overshadows any amount of financial loss we might have suffered,” said Saad on a concluding note.

The Passive Voice

Published in 'The Friday Times' [TFT]
May 25-31, 2007

By Fariha Rashed
'Maawaan Noo Na Satao' is an interactive exercise that is meant to create awareness about the issue of violence against women. It was performed by the Interactive Resource Centre [IRC] as a theatre performance, followed by an interactive session on preventing violence against women. The event was specifically held on the occasion of Mother’s Day this year. The White Ribbon Campaign and FCC Rotaract Club organized the afternoon at Sinclair Hall, Forman Christian College [FCC], Lahore. GTZ must be commended for funding such educational events.

The hall seated a packed crowd of 700 students, faculty and staff members. Surprisingly, the event started on time. It began with the beautifully synchronized playing of a tabla and a flute. I thought this was an ingenious way to allow a rowdy crowd of students in uniforms to settle down in their seats and relax. As told to us by Mr. Amen Jaffar, Advisor, FCC Rotaract Club, the performance was put up to encourage all of us to learn a lesson. The crusade is an effort to educate both men and women about women’s rights. The White Ribbon Campaign takes up volunteers and offers summer internship programs to anyone interested in joining in to help forward the cause.

As the show was about to begin, an IRC performer took to the stage and explained the format of the performance. Since it was an interactive play, the actors brought forward an issue, acted it out, and later invited people from the audience to come on stage and complete the story. Completing the story would of course in essence mean that the audience was giving the solution to the problem highlighted through the performance.

The story discussed a woman who was beaten and abused by all the men in her family --- her husband, her brothers and her sons. What IRC did was leave the woman’s story behind for awhile and instead gave us a peak into each one of the men’s lives. As we witnessed the husband going to work as a laborer and being ill-treated by his boss; the brothers making money off of gambling and getting into all kinds of trouble; and finally the sons being beaten by the teacher in class as a means of punishment, we realize the reason for each one of their frustrations. Unfortunately, it is the woman who suffers their wrath at home as they unleash their aggravations upon her.

Throughout the performance the actor playing the abused woman interacted directly with the audience, asking them questions pertaining to her plight. By the end of it, a scenario had been presented to us, yet no solution had been offered. One by one young audience members went on stage and gave their opinions as to how the situation could be resolved and what they thought of violence against women. A few very interesting remarks and observations were made. A question was posed as to whether kids who are beaten at school should leave and stop studying. The audience was quick to disapprove. A teacher of FCC took to the stage at this point and agreed that beating students was acceptable because according to him, the teacher knows best how to make a child listen. When asked to take the place of the kid being beaten in the play, the teacher did so and still stuck to his guns. “If I did something wrong as a student, I should be hit”, he said as the crowd booed him off stage. Another audience member brought it to everyone’s notice that it is not only the girls who are suppressed and ill treated at childhood. Boys are sent to off to work at very tender ages and huge responsibilities are put on their shoulders. Yet another person pointed out that at least boys have a right to speak out against any injustice done to them; girls have no such rights in our society. A few girls felt that if they were ever beaten or abused they wouldn’t take it. They would go to court and divorce their husbands. Loud cheering and clapping resounded through the hall as these thoughts were expressed. However, immediately someone raised the question as to whether our society would accept such a step taken by a woman. Would it be easy for her to walk into a court and file for divorce? To this, the audience became double minded and one girl admitted that it is not an easy step for women and the only solution is to educate men and teach them how to respect women. She pointed out correctly that women are only respected by men so long as they stay within the four walls of their homes and stay obedient. Although change would be slow in coming, the audience felt that we should at least try. They believed that awareness programs such as the IRC performance would help immensely. Also, it was noted that every family has its own policies regarding education for their children, and whether it is necessary at all.

At this point a young man came on stage and provided us with a perfect example of certain factions of society, mostly men, who are in complete denial regarding the issue of violence against women. “Women are not as violated as you portrayed them to be through your performance”, he said. He goes on to state, very optimistically, that even if there are problems, there are matching solutions. However, he failed to pin-point what these solutions might be. “Bardasht kee had hoti hai” shouted a young lady as she grabbed the mike from another student. She stressed that the education of men with regard to how they should treat women should have been enforced from day one. She raised a pertinent question; how long will women run? A daring your man admitted on stage that men should sit down and think about how to behave with the opposite sex.

On the whole the event was a brilliant success. A very important issue was presented to the youth in an intelligent manner. The message got across to them clearly and they were provoked into actually ‘thinking’. For a society where social theatre is not yet recognized and accepted as a good form of ‘entertainment with a message’, the IRC did an excellent job. They must continue to perform interactively in various schools and colleges around Pakistan, as these young minds are the ones that need to be fueled to bring about change.

Strike A Pose

Published in 'Fashion Avenue Quarterly' [FAQ]
9th Edition.

By Fariha Rashed
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that in Pakistan, there is a stark contrast between the modeling industry of the 80’s and the modeling industry of today. If we sit down and try to pin point what the major difference is, we will realize, as I have, that it’s a whole new ball game now. However, whether the industry has changed for the better or the worse is another debate altogether. In the 80’s, the industry was in its infancy and had been initiated by some daring individuals. As veteran designer Rizwan Beyg points out, “Initially the fashion scene was about a lot of friends working together. People like Atiya Khan were all part of the same group of people and what happened was that friends ended up asking friends to work for each other. It was not about making a buck back then and people came across work through word of mouth and contacts”. That was a different time. Models back then came from seemingly educated backgrounds. I use the word educated very carefully here as its meaning may be easily misinterpreted. When I say educated I am simply referring to the fact that in the 80’s and 90’s women taking up modeling as a profession were not only good on the ramp and in shoots, but could also carry off a conversation if engaged in one. That is the kind of overall persona internationally expected of super models. Do the new models taking up fashion as a profession fit this bill? Do they exude that state-of-the-art super-model quality or even look like they belong on the ramp?

We have to keep into account that the modeling industry’s trends have with time transformed or rather evolved if you will. In the late 80’s and early 90’s we had models such as Bibi, Zoyla, Atiya Khan to Aliya Zaidi leading the way. They had poise and were all unique in their own right, knowing how to carry themselves and taking what they were doing seriously. Shehzad Raza is right on track when he says “before, photographers and designers were educated and experienced in their fields. Even if they had no formal training there was no copying going on and they were all good at what they did. There was an air of professionalism and they worked with professional models as well. Now anyone gets up and becomes a designer or a photographer and therefore the models coming in are also less qualified and skilled.” Frieha Altaf who has been one of the top models in her time and currently recruits models herself [through her agency] has a slightly different point of view on the matter and states that “Even at that time there were two types of models. You either came from a good background or what we called an ‘ifi’ background. I personally was very hesitant before doing a commercial. I stayed away from poor quality, ‘pan masala valai’ offers. The ‘ifi’ models were doing all that and there were very few models that came from serious backgrounds. I kept away from the ‘ifi’ models because they gave a bad reputation to the modeling industry. Girls from good families were not allowed to take up modeling and those who did had to fight a lot of misrepresentation. I believe it is the same deal right now.” Amina Haq takes it one step further and says that “the 80’s saw no models as such. It is in the mid-90’s that modeling developed in Pakistan as it was a paid profession. Modeling has always attracted a varied kind of people.”

The 90’s saw the coming of exceptionally talented models such as Vinny, Iraj, Amina Haq, and ZQ. The advent of fashion schools in the mid-90’s also encouraged more females to take up modeling as a career. However, modeling at this time was still more or less about creating and maintaining a certain image and class that comes with exclusivity in the business. Grooming became important as modeling agencies led by Ather Shehzad and Nabeela primarily came into being. Male models also entered the arena and today we see talents such as Abdullah and Emmad Irfani making waves. Although male ramp models are paid relatively less than female models, they tend to find plenty of work in the corporate business sector and are often found on multi-national company’s billboards and in their TV advertisements. Shehzad Raza says very confidently that “we [Ather Shehzad] are the ones who introduced all the educated models in the industry from Amina Haq, to Vinny, to Iffat Rahim, to Cybil, to Iman Ali, to Nadia and even Meesha”. Shehzad goes on the express that it is therefore they who feel the pain the most when they see that the bar has gone down tremendously when it comes to the kind of girls becoming models. However, Shehzad agrees that it is an inevitable trend which is difficult to curb and the industry is suffering as a result. Iraj agrees and says that when she started out the field was tiny. There were fewer dedicated people who were only interested in fashion and had purely aesthetic reasons for joining the industry. “It’s completely different now. People want to do more now than just fashion. They are more interested in what’s happening after midnight. Women in the modeling industry have become distracted. The media is huge and models don’t eat and end up looking anorexic. Today you don’t have to do much to become a model”, says Iraj. She also insists that a girl is not measured according to her brains. So who is responsible for making sure that models are brought back on track? To this Iraj says “me just talking about it will not make a difference. Designers need to be responsible; people at the top need to be responsible. I have heard designers putting models down and telling them they are too fat. If my lot leaves the industry it will get worse. New girls don’t voice themselves. We used be particular about quality and now girls are willing to do anything. Lobbies are killing the industry. You can survive if you strive to survive. Talent has a lot to do with it and your intentions have a lot to do with it.” Iraj also hints that there is a difference between Karachi and Lahore when it comes to professionalism. “Karachi is still a little better. Take Nadia Hussein for example. She had presence and was modeling solely for fashion. Some newcomers are also good and it is my duty to guide them. Everything negative that crops up in the industry is very contagious but we try to stay decentralized and not get into that chaos.”

One can not deny that to some extent the modeling industry, along with many other industries, has become excessively commercial and media driven. Rizwan Beyg further clarifies this issue when he says that “now everything has become about money and models are doing shows to gain easy and fast cash. Designers are also commercially driven and fashion is suddenly at the forefront everywhere. Our clients are now making clothes and this is a reflection of our culture and the times we live in. Earlier there were no fashion magazines and now we have magazines solely based on fashion. There are no longer any standards or criteria for what is good and what is bad…..and this is sad.” The pertinent question arises. Does the current frivolous, glam-driven and ever changing nature of the modeling industry demand that models should be well groomed and well educated? Does it make a difference to the overall impact they exude? Frieha Altaf for one, when hiring models, does not care if they are literate or not. “I don’t give a damn about someone’s education. They should be groomed properly and should look like a model; they should come on time and take orders well. I am non-judgmental about what a model does with the rest of her/his time and I don’t care if they can speak English or not.” Amina Haq is perturbed by the insinuation that education is a criterion for judging a model’s caliber. “Since when do models have to become nuclear scientists? It is not necessary for models, actors or people in the performing arts for that matter to be PHDs. Why is it necessary for a model to speak English to be considered educated?” she exclaims. Vinny on the other hand believes that grooming and training is very important for a model. “A model needs to know how to deal with clients and how she or he does that depends on their background. Models are now personalities around the world and modeling is all about how you carry yourself. It is a good thing that more people are coming in and I feel it is the model’s own responsibility to get appropriately groomed. Nabeela has groomed models and Shehzad’s girls are also all groomed. Think of Iman Ali when she did Dawlance and now…what a big difference! A model must definitely know how to speak well.”


Say the word ‘model’ and what instantly comes to mind is a sassy, hot individual wearing great clothes and posing like there is no tomorrow. Scratch the surface and you will realize that there is a whole lot more to this species than just glamour and good looks…at least that’s what you are supposed to find under all the paraphernalia! A model is meant to be a complete persona equipped with taste, beauty, sophistication and above all else…brains! So have the modeling standards really dropped in Pakistan or are we making a big deal out of nothing? Hassan Sheheryar couldn’t agree less with the fact that fewer educated females are coming into the modeling business now as opposed to in the 90’s. “Meesha and Farheen are both newcomers and well educated. Nadia has a LUMS degree for God sakes! Those who were educated just used to shine through more before although there were uneducated models even back then. Now even models that are uneducated have been given a chance to come in and shine through and let’s give them that chance instead of insinuating that they aren’t any good”, says Hassan. Maybe if some of the influential people in the fashion world erected some modeling schools and agencies with all the money they make, it would ensure that well-groomed, educated, and trained models came onto the scene and eventually got invited and represented us abroad as well. The people who can truly make a difference need to re-invest in the industry. As far as I can see, the modeling world is fast becoming a second rate business where anyone who gets a shoot done can claim to be a model. Models such as Bibi, Vinny and Iraj etc have worked so hard to raise the standards and here we are disrespecting their efforts. With the way things are unfolding, we are only ensuring that modeling in Pakistan goes to the dogs. Everything can not only be about making money or else progress shall never see the light of day.

Cover Up

Published in 'The Friday Times' [TFT]
April 20 - 26, 2007

By Fariha Rashed
Ajoka Theatre recently put up a new play Burqavaganza, an outrageous musical extravaganza which daringly touches upon the sensitive issue of the veil with a laissez-faire touch of humor. The play, written and directed by Shahid Nadeem, highlighted the significance of agreement and understanding in preventing the spread of extremism and the poison of uncertainty. Nadeem said he aimed to tackle problems faced specifically by the youth and middle-aged women of the Islamic world, who are caught up in a whirlwind of contradicting perceptions about the veil.

The satirical play revolves around the false perception of many that women need to be hidden, and the female species is something to be ashamed of. Through the storyline Shahid Nadeem reveals an ugly truth ---- the practice of and belief behind veiling a woman has been perverted and shamefully linked to religion. However, the obsession with the burqa, face-veil, niqab, hijab, or parda has nothing to do with religious beliefs and everything to do with a tribal and feudalistic mindset strongly prevalent in our country and value system. Burqavaganza mocks the phony rationale created for veiling a woman, and leaves no possible room for its justification in modern times.

The play speaks of the current fixation with the veil being a product of the Pan-Islamic fundamentalist political movement which is supported by repressive Muslim rulers and the ‘great’ powers of the West. In Pakistan’s recent history the Zia regime actively supported and followed this policy. It was pursued as a part of the West-supported policy to promote religious militancy. Similarly, the burqa ‘fad’ was taken to atrocious and peculiar extremes in Afghanistan by the Taliban. Quite ironically, the Saudi rulers, whose less than discreet shenanigans while holidaying abroad are well known to all, have also applied a strict veil policy. However they don’t stop there. In addition, they have enforced other humiliating and repressive restrictions on the free movement of women. On the other hand, the veil has become a central point for Muslim communities trying to claim their distinct religious and cultural identity. Banning of the veil with anti-Muslim intent and underlying racist connotations is deplorable and is in fact accomplishing nothing but negative and extremist reaction among the Muslim youth. However, it must be remembered that those who want to cloak women in burqas are merely a small fanatical ultra-conservative minority. There are also other important issues explored in Shahid Nadeem’s play. Unfortunately, the trademark of our moral and religious establishment is to cover all things beautiful and conceal all things horrible. These issues have very broad political and social dimensions. The establishment tries to cover up the inconvenient truth and they have double standards of moral and ethical values.

Burqavaganza, although void of any specific central plotline or story, portrays modern youth in veils going out on dates, sneaking out of educational institutions, offices and homes for discreet affairs with friends of the opposite sex. The play begins with the story of two burqa clad lovers, Haseena [Nosheen Sheikh] and Khoobroo [Raza Abbas], who cannot be together openly because of the restrictions placed on them by society. They sneak about and find ways to meet without being caught. The irony and twist is that by the end of the play it is revealed that these lovers are actually married. They are STILL penalized for being seen enjoying themselves in public, and are eventually put to death. The play aims to challenge set mindsets and to provoke audiences to think for themselves and break the chains of prejudice and obsolete values.

Hilarious news clips were screened in between to show misconceptions existing in different countries which have banned the veil in the aftermath of terrorist strikes. The fictitious channel on which these news clips appeared was named ‘Burqa Vison’. Among other issues, the play sought to address the compulsive obsession to confine the female species to secrecy. It sought to reason that whatever the rationale for covering women's faces in primitive or medieval times; there could be no justification in modem times for such practice. No society could encourage indecency or immodesty. Right through the play, characters appear in veils and abayas. The play highlights the impact of the veil on the society, as it becomes a tool to hide what a person wishes to keep private. The play refers to Osama Bin Laden as “Burqa Bin Badin”, allegedly hiding in Afghanistan, where the Taliban regime once enforced the burqa. He is eventually caught and put to death by hanging, but enacted by Sarfraz Ansari, the character was comical and quite droll. At one point, while “Burqa Bin Badin” gave his sermon to the public in Urdu, an actor stood on the side and translated everything that was being said by ‘Badin’, in his own hilariously concocted version of sign language. In another part Razia Malik, playing the part of a character known as ‘Hijab Hashmi’ is rolled in, seated uncouthly on a takht like piece of furniture with wheels. She is clad from top to bottom in a shimmering veil that covers her face completely. To her audience of a few, she gives an amusing sermon in which, even though farfetched to an extreme, the advantages of wearing veils and burqas are highlighted. The audience of the play applauded dialogues such as “Burqay Kay Peachay Kia Hai”, “Ye Jo Burqa Hai Dushman Hai Hamara” and “Burqa Associations”.

The best performances of the night had to be those of Iqbal Naqvi and Imran ul Haq. They pose as two maulanas addressing people’s random problems and handing them out preposterous [to the point of being utterly humorous] solutions, that too in the name of religion! The play was meant primarily to make people laugh at radicalism and extremism in society and it accomplished that objective superbly. However, Shahid Nadeem stressed that the main reason for staging the play was to educate people about the prevailing and rather serious situation of ‘forceful veiling’ as it may. Burqavaganza’s execution may have been slightly lacking only with regard to being treated as a musical. The songs were funny, but the performances began dragging slightly halfway through. The costumes were colorful, and innovative, sparking among the audience, a great deal of interest in each character. Costume designer Zahra Batool must be applauded for coming up with unique, deconstructed options to veils, burqas, hijabs and so on. The set and lighting, designed by Kewal Dhaliwal and Malik Aslam, were suitably appropriate with regard to the topic of the play. Both set and lighting succeeded in rendering the play visually pleasing and lent the ambience great authenticity.

Even though the serious issue of oppression of freedom was treated satirically in the play, dialogues and connotations expressed with regard to the veil became slightly crude at times. For the veiled women sitting in the audience the blunt ridiculing of their attire may have been a bit much. However, sometimes people need to be shocked and jolted into thinking and questioning obsolete mindsets. I believe Burqavaganza certainly succeeded in leaving people questioning various issues brought forth in the play long after it ended.

Setting The Stage for Bigami

Published in 'The Friday Times' [TFT]

July 21 - 27, 2007

By Fariha Rashed

In a country where there is an extreme dearth of stimulating entertainment, parallel amateur theatre comes as a relatively new, yet refreshing concept. It is in particular a welcome addition to the only place on the planet, where fashion shows are considered a source of entertainment, usually packed with an audience comprising bureaucrats and the nouveau riche. Surprisingly, media and potential buyers are seldom seen at these ‘grand events’. The clothes or designers matter little and instead the skimpily clad models, awkwardly strutting down the catwalk, are of more importance. Keeping in mind the above mentioned sad state of Pakistani entertainment, Shah Sharahbeel’s play ‘You Only Marry Twice’ came as a breath of fresh air. The man has managed to carve a niche for his theatre company called Centre Stage Productions as audiences and sponsors acknowledge his unique vision and insight. Shahrabeel has had numerous successful plays in the past, shown in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. His latest play was performed in Lahore’s largest hall at Al-Hamra and was sponsored by one of the leading telecommunication companies in the country, along with the Lahore Arts Council.

‘You Only Marry Twice’ is based on the farce ‘Caught in the Net’ by Ray Cooney. It centers on bigamist John Smith who has been juggling two separate families which are living in two different areas of the city. He tries desperately to keep his two wives from discovering each other, and manages to do that successfully for 18 years. However, one fine day his daughter and son, from two different wives, date on the internet and decide to meet up to discuss their fathers, who ironically have the same name and are both taxi-drivers. From then on the play takes the audience on a roller coaster ride. Twists and turns occur in the plot as it falls upon John’s best friend Stanley Gardner to try and stop the children from meeting each other. The slogan “who knew mayhem was a mouse click away” cleverly puts the play’s central theme into perspective. In essence, ‘You Only Marry Twice’ is a light play that although comical in nature, revolves around the delicacy and intricacies of relationships and marriage. The best part about watching this play was that almost every person in the audience could relate to the theme in one way or another. They saw their own reflections in the myriad of characters, and on a personal level, were able to relate to each of these character’s dilemmas.

The set, designed by Asad Zaidi who has just completed his third year at Pakistan School of Fashion Design, was cleverly constructed. Asad made use of different colors to separate two different households created on one set. Lighting and sound, managed largely by Hassan Suleman Rizwan, was effective. Hall management was on its toes at all times during the play, ready to snatch away people’s mobiles if they rang. Although many complained that this kind of treatment is oppressive, for the first time in history, a Lahori audience sat through a non-stop one hour and forty minute long play, without a single mobile ringing or a single hoot being heard from any audience member. This indeed is an accomplishment worth noting. Choreography was taken care of by the talented Atif Khan who even managed to get a stiff Ian to miraculously dance. Although the dance segment at the very end was not well synchronized, it was thoroughly entertaining none the less.

One area where Shahrabeel needs to be a little more careful is timing. The play began late each night and therefore ended late as well. Due to this, a few people with other commitments had to sadly get up and leave during the performance. Also, Al Hamra’s AC’s were not cooling the hall well enough and one could see both actors and audience members sweating and feeling uncomfortable owing to the heat. Although all actors did well on the whole, a few of them did a better job in understanding and portraying their character. Ian Eldred’s performance while playing Stanley Gardner was crisp and almost flawless. His dialogue delivery and face expressions were in sync, and his body movement accompanied by his talent to use the stage space well, served to instantly captivate audience members. He, along with Muhammad Ali Jan who played John Smith, gave energized performances day after day, as if performing the play for the first time each night. Others, including Ushna Shah [playing Vicki Smith], A’hera Mathew [playing Barbara Smith] and Shaan Lashari [playing Gavin Smith] started out a little rusty as far as voice projection and speech clarity is concerned, but they got better with each passing performance, as their confidence and comfort on stage increased. Irsa Ghazal, playing Mary Smith, and Ijlal Khan, playing Mr. Gardner, both had excellent voice projection and are competent performers on stage. While established stage and television actress Isra lent her roles emotional depth, Ijlal’s love for theatre at once came spilling through on stage, translating itself into a passionately hilarious portrayal of Mr. Gardner.

It seems Sharahbeel’s reputation for putting up quality theatre far exceeded him, as the play’s opening night instantly drew in crowds of people. By the fifth night, word had spread all across the city and the hall was suddenly jam-packed till the last day. Furthermore, hundreds of eager, young, aspiring actors were keen to audition for a part in ‘You Only Marry Twice’. Sharabeel, as the director of the play, explains that “there are a few basic things that have to be kept in mind when choosing actors for particular roles during auditions. These include compatibility with the rest of the cast, voice projection and appearance.” Rehearsals, according to Muhammad Ali Jan, “went on for two whole months…..stretching at times till three in the morning.” Sharahbeel is most respected by his team for encouraging new talent and giving them a platform on which to prove themselves and show their potential. Mudassir Sheikh, a senior undergrad at LUMS and an RJ in his spare time, acted as everything from the Assistant Director, Media Coordinator, Presenter, Props In Charge, Production Manager to being involved in Backstage Management. He says “this experience has given me great exposure; great fun, great new friends and I have managed to learn a lot”. Ian Eldred who is known to be a master of improvisation on stage, adding a dozen extra ‘bloody’s’ to his lines in the play, exclaims “this experience has given me access to bloody good food, every single night, on the house!” Apparently the whole cast was treated to scrumptious food at various restaurants across Lahore. Ian also feels that working in Shahrabeel’s play cannot be compared to working with any other director in Pakistan. Shahrabeel’s motto as a director is “discipline, hard work, and passion”, to which his whole cast chants “discipline is an understatement!”

It is strongly felt by the cast members and by Shahrabeel himself, that the responsibility to encourage the efforts of young, amateur talent that has put in hours and hours of hard work to bring twelve consecutive nights of thrilling entertainment to the people of Lahore falls upon the shoulders of the media. Healthy criticism is always appreciated by actors, who feel they can learn from it and improve where they are lacking. However, reviews should not carry criticism for the sake of criticism and praise should be given where it is due. It is commendable that these youngsters and Shahrabeel, even in the face of poor tradition and infrastructure when it comes to theatre, have brought to Pakistan a new form of praiseworthy drama. The government and the corporate sector should work together to nurture this budding theatre culture and create an atmosphere where it can blossom further.