Feelin Haute – PFDC’s Summer Collection 2009

The way it has been so far in the fashion industry, Pakistan hardly has a future in the global milieu. Personal agendas, bursting egos and cat fights hardly help our raisin-sized share in the $60 billion global fashion industry.

Yes, we are talented. Musicians, sportsmen, painters and poets — we have given our best to the world. But they have been individual islands of excellence rather than a community of synergised achievers. Ego has ruined us and the state of Pakistani cinema or even national politics is a case study of gargantuan egos devouring a nation’s bright future.

The fashion scene has also been mired with rivalries between the Karachi and Lahore-based fashion councils — an anomaly we can certainly do without. That is why the Pakistan Fashion Design Council’s (PFDC) Spring/Summer Collection 2008-09 with 20 participating designers from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad was a Herculean effort that has to be commended. In the 11 months of its existence, the Lahore-based council has participated in 19 exhibitions, launched the Boulevard that houses multi-brand labels and has united designers across the country to the common cause of promoting fashion as serious business.

The event was an elegant and well-coordinated show at the Royal Palm Golf & Country Club, and Lahore’s crème de la crème flocked to it. The council’s attempt to screen off some journalists specifically was seen as harsh in the print media circle. However, it justified it by issuing a statement which read: “It (the descision) was a strict action to send a clear message that we’d rather do without press coverage than be covered in a biased way.”

This was perhaps the only inevitable reference to the bitter rivalry between the Karachi and Lahore fashion councils. It was good to notice that otherwise there were no malicious blame games playing and nobody talked about how good this council was over that one. Perhaps the only other glitch was that the event kicked into action later than the stated schedule.

The audience included fashion and film celebrities Shaan, Babra Sharif, Reema (dressed in HSY), Resham, stylist Shehzad Raza, Iffat Omar and ZQ who has declared her retirement from the ramp, while Aaminah Haq was conspicuous by her absence. Veterans Vinnie, Iraj and Fawzia stood out on the ramp but it was really Nadya Hussain who was the stunner that evening with her looks, fitness and attitude. Sabina Pasha from amongst the new lot also seems to be one of the most promising models. Gia Ali also made heads turn with her shorn look.

The consensus of all the designers was the replacement of short shirts and shalwars with long shirt dresses, or long tops with capris, culottes and straight pants. The shirts for this season are collared, flared, frilled or pleated.

The work of Sehyr Saigol of Libas, Kamiar Rokni, Nickie Nina, HSY and Rehana Saigol was fantastic in terms of being stunning, elegant, detailed and with the distinct Pakistani stamp on it. The clothes by these designers were subtle yet detailed, the designs converged on feminine grace and made innovative use of western cuts while still maintaining the essential eastern look.

The most creative collections came from Waseem Khan, Maria B, Iman Ahmed, Khaadi Khas and Amar Belal who presented experimental work aside from their usual signature styles.

Waseem Khan presented extremely voluminous silhouettes with models who walked in long silk coats in bright, warm colours and Banarsi motifs, and took them off to reveal earth tone, plain silk, chest-pleated long shirts that were bordered with traditional Banarasi. It was a brilliant interplay of bright basanti colours with subdued earthen shades by the low profile designer who has been working in the profession for more than three decades now.

Maria B’s collection was extremely detailed and in stark colours of black, white and red. Her models paraded parasols and plumes in elaborately detailed costumes. A particular stunner was a pleated and puff-sleeved white sheer shirt with Elizabethan collars and tulle, frayed Chantilly-inspired embroidery over a black-and-white body suit. The collection was based on the theme of French Renaissance and took on Ottoman influences as well. According to the designer it was a tribute to her time spent at the Pakistan School of Fashion Design (PSFD) where the students presented their work according to specific themes.

The work of Iman Ahmed of Body Focus from Karachi was simple, smart and eye-catching as she wove the theme of silk scarves into her work. All the dresses had silk scarf motifs printed boldly on them. Nadya looked stunning in a long kimono, while another outfit — a black shirt with culottes patterned along the lines of the Palestinian scarf — was truly memorable. The predominant colour was black.

Khaadi Khas by Shamoon was also an unusual offering and used the bold colors of red, black, white and fuchsia. The outfits were embellished with appliquéd ribbons and detailed embroidery. A particular black and fuchsia caftan worn over a chooridar pajama by Gia was simply stunning.

Amar Belal’s collection made extensive use of denim and buttons. A particular stunner was a white shirt dress that was embellished with maroon, grey and black braided ribbons striped vertically along the outfit and silver buttons between the stripes. All the models sported chunky and brightly-coloured jewellery that matched their large handbags.

The collection was a first in many ways as it was not corporate-sponsored. It was an event by the designers, for the designers. However the council had invited some 20 retailers, including Men’s Store, Chen One, Bareeze and The Designers. According to Sehyr Saigol, the chairperson of the executive committee, “We aim to forge further ahead with the business of fashion and plan to open the Boulevard in Karachi and Faisalabad. We have included in our board members not only designers but also corporate decision makers and traditional craftsmen as we aim to make a cohesive network of all stakeholders associated with this industry.”
 

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The PFDC’s Spring/Summer Collection 2008-09 with 20 participating designers from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad was a Herculean effort that has to be commended. In the 11 months of its existence, the Lahore- based council has participated in 19 exhibitions, launched the Boulevard that houses multi-brand labels and has united designers across the country to the common cause of promoting fashion as serious business.
 

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HSY, the official spokesperson for the council, and who has recently returned from presentations in Dubai, London and Chicago said, “I was honoured to present along with names like Armani and Gucci, and Harper’s Bazaar gave me rave reviews. Pakistan’s distinct and unique style stands out from the work of Indians, and is really beginning to be appreciated. Our council plans to bring more designers into the fold from others cities like Peshawar and add to our strength.”

Rehana Saigol aka Chunni commented on being asked how she felt as a participating designer from Karachi, “I don’t see it as a Karachi-Lahore thing. It’s the same country after all. I am happy to be part of a body that has unified designers from all over the country to promote Pakistani fashion.”

Festival Report – What a show: World Performing Arts Festival 2008

The Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop’s World Performing Arts Festival was an eventful fare this year. It was the theatre company’s 25th festival, it was held without a sponsor in trying times of terrorist threats and recession and three explosions took place during the festival, too.

 

Having experienced the first explosion, I must say I have also joined the increasing league of unfortunate Pakistanis experiencing terror firsthand. Thank God there were no casualties or serious damage. But more on the blasts later.

 

The festival was a pleasant montage of all kinds of performing arts and some of the performances were thoroughly enjoyable. On the fifth day, the Rifco Arts from the UK presented the hour-long comedy It Ain’t All Bollywood about a girl obsessed with the artificial world of Hindi films. She is eventually brought out of her self imposed exile by her childhood Irish friend who recognises her on his frequent trips to her house as the courier guy. A beautiful story, simple and aesthetic props, brilliant acting and humour made the play fun to watch.

 

The first of Abbas Jutt’s solo nautanki performance was scheduled in the Punjabi Cultural Complex’s auditorium on the night of the folk music concert. It was ironic that a talented singer like Abbas was scheduled to perform in the same time slot as folk artistes like Saeein Zahoor and Arif Lohar, but in a separate auditorium where only a handful of people came to hear him. The organisers should have accommodated him in the folk concert which would have given him a bigger audience. Abbas’s renditions of the folk tales of Sohni Mahiwal and Sassi Punhu in traditional Punjabi style were sonorous yet ill-placed before a nearly empty auditorium.

 

The Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation from Hyderabad Deccan in India performed Raat Phoolon Ki, an unscripted 70-minute act of poetry, music and dance. Qadir Ali Baig was a poet and a lover of the performing arts, and many of his poems became songs for the Indias Hindi film industry. The play was produced by Begum Razia Qadir Ali Baig, directed by Mohammad Ali Baig and the poetry was recited by well-known actor Arif Zakaria. The combination dance was derived from various Indian classical genres and it was choreographed and performed by Dr. Alekhya Punjla and her troupe. The beautiful fusion music to which the dances were performed was composed by the famous santoor player Rahul Sharma.

 

The Aakar Puppet Theatre from India delivered a fabulous performance in the name of Dhola Maro. It was a Rajasthani folk legend of a princess and her beloved prince who comes to marry her defying all odds including a spell-casting envious witch, a horned monster and a huge python.The props were an exquisite representation of the rich and colourful Rajasthani culture and the puppeteers handled the string marionettes very skillfully. In one of the scenes, a single puppeteer balanced the prince holding the princess on a dancing camel. Other scenes like the puppets breathing, juggling a ball and doing a peacock dance completely won the audience over. Children loved the hour-long performance and many ran to the stage after the show to check out the puppets up close.

 

The Ariel Theatre from Bulgaria performed Clever Peter for young children. The story was based on the Bulgarian folk tale of an adventurous, trickster peasant called Peter who goes about helping the poor and wriggles out of difficult situations by using his wits. The technique used was hand puppetry and the two puppeteers did an okay job as they fumbled with the English at times.

The Hungry Heart Festival (India) performed As The Sun Sets. It was a story of a family coming to terms with the family’s patriarch Viraj dying of cancer in old age.The play explored human feelings beautifully as in the end the daughter realises her mother’s worth. The play had some really good acting by Prabha Tonk (wife),Anjali (aunt) and Danish Iqbal (servant).

 

 

A day prior to the closing of the festival, the National School of Drama, India, presented Azizun. It was captivating play set in the 1857 period of Kanpur. The play revolved around a courtesan called Azizun who is in love with Shamsuddin, a soldier with the East India Company. Shamsuddin decides to join the rebellion and when his frequent comings to the house of Azizun get noticed by the Company officers, she decides to join the rebels and her house is used for the secret revolt movement.The play was simply enchanting as the sets were put up on three sides of the camp making the audience feel as though they were sitting in a 3-D theatre. The script was a mix of pristine Urdu and bits of Hindi. Soul-stirring dialogues such as when Shamsuddin convinced other soldiers to join his revolt against the Company and said: “Tumhain khud mein aur khuda mein faisla karna hoga” were a treat to hear. The stage was set at different elevations hence Azizun’s house was actually a two-storied building. Another platform with stairs positioned behind the audience was used effectively for the revolt scenes.During the small length of time in which I managed to watch the performance, it felt like I was transported to another world. The music, the subtle and graceful dance and the language was magical. The play unfortunately could not conclude due to the explosions even though the actors brilliantly carried on through the earlier disruptive fireworks at the match in the nearby Qaddafi Stadium.

 

The Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop’s Come Back To The Coffee House One More Time Rafi Peer was also staged the same day. It was about Rafi Peer and the fact that he was far ahead of his time and believed in empowering people to be change agents themselves through the use of performing arts. The dialogue was a mix of Urdu, Punjabi and English, and set in different time periods. Rafi Peer’s ideology was narrated by the characters who themselves are trying to understand the depth of his thoughts long after he has departed the world.Directed by Salmaan Peerzada, the play made an ingenious use of props and there was attention to detail as when the coffee house setting was created there was the faint clink of real cups and silver in the backstage to bring in the real touch. Though some of the audiences found the play difficult to understand, according to Tasneem Peerzada (press director), the play was a new technique for the Pakistani audience who have not been exposed to its subtlety.

 

As we left the final performance and walked on the pavilion round the open-air theatre, the first explosion took place. It was definitely not a firecracker this time. But we knew it was a low-intensity bomb as the sound was not loud enough. As we stood with our back to the theatre, a woman in one of the handicrafts stall before us looked above us at the walls of the theatre and let out a most terrifying scream.

 

My husband and I turned around to look above us in what seemed like a moment cast in eternity as we thought there was a bomber right above our heads waiting to explode his explosives-laden jacket! But there was only smoke and dust rising and as the woman ran screaming towards the theatre, people panicked and started running towards the exit points. Some RPTW staffers got hold of the woman as she fainted and it transpired that her young son was in the theatre for the concert. What was commendable was the calm that the RPTW staff showed in treating the lady. A worker announced that the sound was that of a gas cylinder exploding, perhaps in a bid to pacify the panicking crowd.

 

As we left the premises unhurried, the scene outside had changed to scores of ambulances, a news coverage van, and police contingents moving into action. The second explosion took place when we were leaving the Qaddafi Stadium’s exit gate and it had been a good 20 minutes since the first one took place. Later, it saddened me to know that three people were injured, not due to of the explosions but in the panicky stampede that ensued.

Miracle Workers

Often a relentless sense of optimism, persistence and willingness to work is all you need to succeed, says Afia Mansoor 

 

 

If you’re hardworking, enterprising and have a positive outlook on life, you have all the tools you need to earn your bread and butter and enjoy a decent standard of living. Sounds unbelievable? Read on and see how many people have proved this fact again and again.

 

 

Life perhaps gives all of us a chance to ‘make it’ as the saying goes. There are some who rise to the challenge and brave the odds to become successful at their enterprise. People belonging to the lower economic strata especially, need to be extremely enterprising, since the decadent state of public education and the difficulty in securing a decent job through merit ensures that the massive majority of the poor are trapped forever in the vicious circle of poverty.

 

 

This scribe talked to some entrepreneurs who started out with literally no financial resources, who belong to the lower income groups and who now manage to support their families respectably and have successfully evaded the poverty trap.

 

 

Kashif, a part-time employee in a government organisation, was financially broke eight years ago but had a burning passion to improve his family’s standard of living. He worked as a part-time computer operator in two companies, yet it was very difficult for him to make ends meet.He grew interested in the catering business and entered a partnership with a friend on commission basis. In three years, he learned how to cook as well as all the ins and outs of the business; he hired a cook and opened a small kitchen to sell a 15 rupee plate of biryani. The first day he sold 12 daigs and never looked back.As the business grew, he hired more cooks, got hold of a financier and three years later opened his new office with a custom-built kitchen. He says, “After eight years into the trade I have tremendous patronage from customers. I have come a long way and nowadays I am selling various three-course menus and have arranged food for events running into millions of rupees.

 

 

I have introduced my own improvisation on dishes like lagan gosht and shahi biryani which have gone down very well with my customers.”It has not been all smooth sailing as he explains, “I didn’t have any initial investment or monetary support which is very vital if you are opening a new enterprise. Once I lost all my money by investing in a barbecue set-up. Also, in this business you tend to sacrifice on family time as I usually get home at around 4 or 5am. However, our efforts have been gratifying as eight years ago, we lacked even the bare necessities and today I have a comfortable home, a car, my kids go to decent schools. What more could I want?”

 

 

Sultan, 20, is a tailor who learned the craft as an apprentice at the age of 14 and then decided to start his own work. He lives with his family in the servant quarters of a house in Lahore’s Defence area and this family has been very generous in permitting him to carry on his work from their house.Sultan’s modus operandi gives him the edge. He has a number of customers from whom he picks up the clothes, stitches them within two days and delivers them right to their doorstep. His clients vouch for his neat cutting and stitching.Sultan exclaims proudly, “When Begum Sahiba’s daughter was getting married she got me to stitch her daughter’s and the entire family’s clothes. I stitched some 80 dresses in a month, working as long as 20 hours a day at times. She paid me generously in return!”He continues, “I have kept my prices a little lower than the market rates and the fact that I visit clients at their home, even buy the accompanying lace or buttons for them and deliver the stitched clothes to their door saves them time and fuel and the hassle of running around after tailors.”

 

 

Bushra got married to her cousin when she was 16. In another six years she had four children. She lived in a little village near Sheikhupura where she tended to the needs of a large family. Her husband was illiterate and lacked any marketable skills. He drove a tonga and was not able to support his family due to the rising cost of maintaining the animal.Though Bushra’s in-laws were supportive, she found it increasingly difficult to fulfil the basic needs of her children. After all her backbreaking labour she still had no cash in hand to meet her expenses.

 

 

Seema, another villager, offered to teach Bushra the art of waxing which is a lucrative skill and in great demand by women who prefer to have waxing done at home rather than visit a parlour. Bushra, with her family’s consent learned the skill and was sent by Seema, along with her homemade wax, for the first appointment. Bushra was nervous but the client understood her predicament and encouraged her to go on. In fact, she paid Bushra more than she dared to demand. From that day, she never looked back. She would book appointments by using the local grocery shop’s phone who would charge her Rs2 for each call, but in spite of this investment she made a substantial profit.

 

 

For several years she persisted at the task, some times with no client for days. However, news of her skill and punctuality spread through word of mouth, and her reputation followed her even when she moved to Lahore. Her husband left work when they moved and now accompanies Bushra to every house. Today she is extremely proud of her journey. Sixteen years of rigorous labour have enabled Bushra to feed her four children, marry off her three sisters-in-law, and help her to financially support her brother-in-law’s family. She has educated all her children and is usually booked with appointments for the whole day. She says, “I have worked exceptionally hard to achieve financial stability. However, along the way I met some supportive people who gave me encouragement when I really needed it.”

 

 

Tamkeen is another ‘waxing lady’ in Lahore. Adept in the added skills of threading, facial, manicure, pedicure and massage, she is able to secure a good income each day and works only by appointments. She sends her children to a good school, swimming classes and is taking English Language tutorials herself to improve her communication skills. She has the added advantage of being able to drive, so she does not have to wait for male chaperones to accompany her to various homes.

 

 

One of the main success factors for each of these people was the availability of cell phones as this was the method through which they established and secured their business. Low calling costs have also helped these small-scale entrepreneurs who need to connect to their customers on a regular basis. Nearly all the entrepreneurs admitted that though some of their clients haggled over payments, they were largely satisfied by the money they made each day.The common factor between all the people interviewed was their relentless sense of optimism, persistence, and willingness to work hard and it is undoubtedly these traits that have made them successful. They all made adversity work for them. Perhaps this could be a lesson or two for people who end up blaming the system for their own shortcomings.

 

Maria B.

Maria B. the woman is a fine confluence of art and enterprise. Her fashion house by the same name is the only one in Pakistan that has a standardized sizing system, comes up with 5 new collections each year, exports 3 product lines, does textiles and couture bridals under one roof, markets 5 different product lines and is headed by Maria; a trained designer.

The enterprising woman knew what she wanted since the beginning. In 1994, she was offered a place at the prestigious St. Martin School of Fashion in London but chose to be at the Pakistan School of Fashion Design where she went on to top for four consecutive years. The staunch patriot defends her decision back then saying, “I wanted to stay in my country and be close to the people and fabrics I was to work with later. The PSFD was also syndicated with the La Chambre Syndicale in France which is the best fashion school in the world, so I didn’t need to go elsewhere.”

Her brilliance manifested while she was still in school. As a third year student in 1997, Maria represented Pakistan along with some of her batch mates at the prestigious ‘Les Etoiles de la mode’ – World Young Designers Award held in Belgium. Competing against 22 countries, Maria finished among the top three in the final world rankings. The five outfits she showed there were according to her a ‘symbolic representation of Pakistan’s evolution over the last few centuries’. One of the jurists who had worked with Versace had commented that ‘her portfolio was the best he had seen in years.’ The dye of her success was cast then, perhaps.

Back then Maria’s vision was ‘to become Pakistan’s first International brand in fashion’ and she had to start out in a country where her field of specialization was nascent. Her unique selling proposition and her individual philosophy has been in her words, ‘to provide high fashion with affordability’. According to her, “10 years ago fashion in Pakistan was in its infancy. I was the first graduate from a fashion school and my vision was to develop the ready-to-wear market. I wanted to make fashion accessible to women and not be a garage studio aunty designer making bridals. I graduated with honors from college and decided to make a difference. I went for daring cuts, international silhouettes and incorporated the latest trends into our traditional clothes. It was instant success mashaAllah. I became so confident that I opened my second shop in Karachi and that became a better commercial success than my first shop in Lahore. The key was to educate the clientele in Pakistan and it was not easy back then. There was no media exposure and no FTV. The biggest hurdle was to train women to look beyond embellishments and focus on trends and cuts that suited them. One success led to another and today Maria B. is the largest retailer of women’s designer wear in Pakistan.”

Her success is phenomenal from a business point of view. What started out ten years ago as a shop in Lahore with 10 employees is now a million dollar company; the only Pakistani designer label to have reached out to the maximum number of women through its diverse product range, affordable pricing and distribution across 4 cities in Pakistan with more outlets in the pipeline.

The spirited entrepreneur’s label holds the unique distinction of designing, manufacturing and retailing a wide range of prêt, couture and unstitched lawn. According to Maria her company’s production is the highest among the local fashion industry for these three lines on a monthly basis. The label is internationally stocked in Manchester, Birmingham, New Delhi, Abu Dhabi, Orlando, Washington, New York, New Jersey and Dallas. Maria B. is the only Pakistani Designer Label with a franchise and store in London making it the first Pakistani designer brand to go international. Maria B. is also the only Fashion House in Pakistan that sells online and gets shipping orders from as far as the Netherlands.

Her success can perhaps also be attributed partially to her philosophy of ‘making high fashion affordable. She recalls how she used to frequent a boutique in Karachi when she was in her teens and found the clothes very expensive. Says she, “The manager of the boutique used to treat me like a nobody because I couldn’t buy the stuff on my own. It really put me off and I used to tell my mother that I’d open a shop one day that would have clothes for everyone. That everyone would be welcome in it.” That is the culture she has tried to develop in her shops all over the country. Her reasonable price ranges have attracted women from various demographics to her clothes. In fact women from the middle income strata prefer her lawn fabric for its price and quality.

Introducing lawn and recently the voile fabric has been a wise business decision for Maria who saw it as a great way of bringing high fashion to the streets. She brought out lawns in 2006 when there were only three other designer lawns being sold. Today her prints are highly sought after despite four more competitors in the scene.

Maria’s consistent triumph through her career is an inspiration for both business and fashion students. She has lectured frequently on entrepreneurship at LUMS where the MBA students are required to do a case study on her. She has also conducted workshops for PSFD students besides being on PSFD’s Board of Governors and acting as Jurist for the school’s events.

Not content with lapping her prior achievements and basking in their glory, Maria keeps coming out with new brands each year. Her latest offering is the Mgirl brand for young women with a global fashion sensibility. She states, “Mgirl will be the new fun and fearless brand by Maria B. I saw the need to create a western brand within Maria B. as the younger generation is now dressing with a global sensibility, and there are no accessories available in Pakistan. Mgirl is a pioneering brand with a vast product line ranging from shoes, bags, belts, clothes, scarves and jewelry down to even rings and brooches.”

For Maria to achieve her first goal of going international has not been enough. She says, “whenever I fulfill a goal, I have 10 new goals lined up ahead. My new goal is to become a lifestyle brand within the next ten years, inshaAllah, and to retail across 5 – 6 countries in the next decade with a full line of accessories, shoes, bags, eastern and western women’s wear, menswear, children wear, home furnishings… the list goes on, and on.”

She takes a great deal of care to ensure controls with the aesthetics of her work. is concerned, for in 10 years and with a tremendous number of lines and designs being produced under her label; she still is the only one designing at Maria B. The rest are all textile designers. The 33 year old declares confidently, “I have had designers off and on for the production and pattern side but never for the creative end. I have always maintained creative control but now my systems are ready to take a new creative team of designers who can start taking control.”

“What thrills her most,” I ask, “the art or the enterprise?”

‘Actually a combination of both.’ She responds, “Allah has blessed me with a creative mind and the gut of a true entrepreneur. One cannot succeed as a designer unless you can manage the business end of your enterprise. The reason behind the success of Maria B. is the combination of a creative sense and a business acumen”.

 

A staunch patriot, Maria is actively involved in streamlining the procedures for the Pakistani fashion industry and wants to see its structure and approach changed for the better. She says, “We have to wake up from our egoistical slumber”, she states emphatically, “we stand no where in the international scene. We are a divided lot and if it were not the Pakistan Fashion Design Council, I would see no hope for fashion in Pakistan. But the council is the best thing that happened to the industry. I’m one of the founding members of the Council and we are all working to make fashion an industry, and promote the business of fashion in Pakistan”.

Tooba Siddiqui

Tooba Siddiqui

Tooba Siddiqui is among the new breed of young models, actors, designers and stylists making a mark on the local fashion scene. She is, for now, better known for her lawn ad for a premium brand in which she swings to Nazia Hasan’s Boom Boom — a trifle bold by Pakistani standards. But then being touted as the next best thing in fashion after Iraj and Vinnie, Tooba seems to have a head start on things.

‘I think Iraj is the best ramp model and Vinnie is awesome in print. As far as commercials are concerned, I like the new faces. I think the veteran models are completely done with to come in ads now,’ says Tooba

I meet the stick-slim Tooba with her long wavy hair at her apartment. Dressed in jeans and T shirt, she is sprawled over the big, black leather sofa with her pack of cigarettes, ashtray and cell phone ringing occasionally. “I started modelling from Islamabad some five years ago. I was 18 at that time. My first play was for Sultana Siddiqui that was a Rana Sheikh project for PTV and since then there has never been no looking back. I went to the US briefly with my family, but I couldn’t cope up with the tough lifestyle so I came back to Karachi to continue with my modelling and acting assignments,” she says.

In a span of five years Tooba has become a known face. How is this possible in the glamsville today with treacherous cliques and mafias? Surely she must have someone’s support or backing? “It was Tariq (Amin) who introduced me to modelling. I have no qualms in admitting that. Since then, we have developed differences and don’t get along at all. But tell you what, this mafia grouping is more of a Lahori phenomenon. I like to work with everyone.”

While the opinion is rife that dime-a-dozen models are ready to do just about anything to get a small shoot or a ramp session, Tooba comments on the state of affairs quite diplomatically: “I admit that male models are exploited no end. They’re used as commodities more often than for modelling. Consider the fact that male models just get around Rs2,000 to 5,Rs000 for a ramp show. Sometimes they don’t even get that. Sadly that’s the way it is. And as for the female models, well if some of them resort to extending favours to clinch assignments, I suppose that reflects their need and desperation to get work.”

On a slight tangent Tooba adds: “All this talk about decent-girls-can’t-come-into-fashion is pure nonsense. Everyone is modelling these days. It’s very easy to become a model in Pakistan. Any good-looking girl walking down the street can call herself a model. And if girls can’t model for bold themes or think that the environment is sleazy, that’s their own inhibition.”

Tooba’s choice of the ideal local model varies. “We don’t have proper category models exclusively for ramps, print and commercials as such. But I think Iraj is the best ramp model and Vinnie is awesome in prints. As far as commercials are concerned, I like the new faces. I think the veteran models are completely done with to come in ads now.”

Overwhelmed with acting and modelling assignments these days, Tooba’s schedule for one assignment often overlaps with another. Is it wise to plunge headlong into work without a worry about the quality of output? “I know some of my directors are angry at me for doing too many things at a time. But my aim is to make my mark in the acting for now and then be able to choose the best assignments. I really want to make my mark as an actress,” she says, adding, “I don’t want to make tall claims but I think I have it in me to make it big in acting. I simply love it.”

She also has her focus set on Hollywood in the future. “What’s the harm in thinking big? If it’s not Hollywood I am definitely headed towards something in India.” And what is that ‘something’? She smiles, “Oh I can’t tell right now. It’s definitely something big.” This writer can only imagine how directors in Hollywood and Bollywood would treat Tooba for overlapping schedules.

“I am a typical Leo with a fluctuating temperament and a big ego problem. But I am overly generous with my friends. I love giving advice to friends, working non-stop on weekdays, partying out on Saturdays and lazing around on Sundays. If I was born again I’d like to be part of some royal family as I simply love luxury.” The one thing she would like to see different in the fashion scene of Pakistan is the amount of money paid to ramp models. “The paltry sum of Rs8,000 to Rs10,000 per ramp session that we get is simply ludicrous. This pay scale has been the same for the past decade, I think,” Tooba says with one of her eyebrows raised dramatically.

Look Who’s talking!

Do talk shows that address social and political issues really influence our thought patterns? Are they effective in removing various social ills and improve a shared sense of responsibility towards society, or are they merely paying lip service by highlighting sensitive issues in a not-so-sensitive manner?

Switch to any channel’s programme guide and you will see a handful of talk shows broadcast every week. Some of these have a sensational approach to them like ARY Digital’s recently concluded talk show Shaista and You which was broadcast for one-and-a-half years.

Here, the host used to introduce a topic bound to elicit conflicting opinions and then called up two participants each to speak in favour or against the topic. Themes like ‘Are step parents really as loving as real ones’ and ‘Should marriages be arranged or love’ were discussed with acerbic comments thrown around by the host in an effort to add fuel to fire. The host was quite popular with viewers for her scathing remarks interspersed between the arguments of the panelists. Judging by the programme’s approach, one can safely gauge that the focus of the show was not on solving issues but rather projecting the eccentric opinions of people advocating their view points. Other talk shows from the same channel include Q&A with P.J. Mir and Insight with Javed Malik.

The relatively new Aaj TV has its own 45-minute talk show to offer, having socio-economic issues spiked with current affairs dimensions. Off the Record with its host Khalid Hasan Khan and executive director Nasira Zuberi is aired on Saturdays and repeated on Sundays. One of its episodes, Science Vs. Religion had a good panel selection of speakers ranging from Pervez Hoodbhoy to Maulana Ehtramul Haq Thanvi. In facilitating talk shows like this, a fine balance has to be maintained by the anchor to avoid being a bystander on one hand, and aggressively cutting conversations of speakers on the other. The host does a good job of manoeuvring the show despite the panelists arguing bitterly. Other episodes of the show have covered raging discussions on topics such as the city district government; post-devolution scenario, women’s rights, violence and discrimination against women, street crimes in Karachi and the 20/20 cricket matches. The fact that these issues have been picked up for a timely panel discussion makes Off The Record a popular programme with TV viewers.

‘I have my own format where questions are not revealed to the guests in a pre-show session. As a result, they don’t lose their interest during the course of discussion,’ says Khalid of Off the Record

I have my own format where questions are not revealed to the guests in a pre-show session. As a result, they don’t lose their interest during the course of discussion,” says Khalid, adding that three Cs’ are vital for a talk show — content, coordination and conduct. “A talk show is not a war zone, it is a fleeting negotiating table that provides a forum for constructive engagement.”

Hum TV, too, has its own set of talk shows, among the notable ones being Hisaar. The show specifically focuses on issues of women ranging from harassment to discrimination at work and legal rights. hosted by Mehtaab Akbar Rashdi, the audience puts up questions which are answered by experts from various professions.

Talk shows like Alif, Uljhan Suljhan, Capital Talk and Pachaas Minute on Geo are presenting viewpoints on a variety of crucial social, psychological and political issues. In Uljhan Suljhan a panel of experts discusses possible solutions for people with domestic issues, history of drug abuse, etc, while Alif invites a panel of scholars to talk on issues usually with a religious bent.

Pachaas Minute has discussed a variety of important issues to date like the East Pakistan breakup, the decline of Pakistani cinema, the ethnic divide within Pakistan, state of education, and effects of cable television on young Pakistani minds, with discussions between notable speakers belonging to a variety of professions. Most of these shows are a good mix of intellectual discussion with insight on issues faced by the common people in an engaging and incisive way.

To a great extent these talk shows are doing a commendable job in projecting the view points of the common people, professional experts and the power brokers. Whether these programmes influence a viewer’s thought process or not is besides the point, but they do play a great role in creating awareness among the people towards socio-political current affairs. For others, the shows simply help them engage in intelligent drawing room talk.

This article was published in Images – Dawn Newspaper.

Saba Ansari

Gone are the days when the Pakistani bride looked like a crimson tart overburdened with heaps of jewellery and looking thoroughly victimized. Today, notable beauty artistes seek to make a fine convergence between a model and a bridal make-over without making either look out of place. And this is where new talent is making sizable inroads.

Saba Ansari is comparatively new on the styling block but the person behind the dynamic Sabs Salon has still managed to make waves in the beauty industry amidst the presence of styling giants like Nabila’s, Saima’s and Depilex among others.

“I started my career with Depilex at a time when it was getting noticed,” she says, adding, “I got my training, inspiration and devotion to work from there. After years of attending courses both here and abroad, I opened Sabs in 2001 and since then there has been no looking back for me.”

Saba says her philosophy involves personal involvement in all her client dealings. “To me a salon is a place where people come to relax. I am not from the school of thought that supports a martial distinction between staff and clients either. My girls mingle with everyone irrespective of the fact that they are celebrities or not.”

She calls her staff are her greatest asset, “They stay with me through thick and thin and no matter how late or early.” Saba, it seems, has learnt her lessons early in life and quite well at that from examples in the styling industry where one hears of big names disassociating themselves from giant styling concerns all the time, not always on friendly or speaking terms, only to start working for their competitors, and setting tongues wagging in wake of the unfolding drama.

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‘My work as a beautician of repute speaks for itself and my share of success so far has been due to hard work and a lot of good luck. And no matter how camped an industry is, good work eventually shines through,’ says Saba Ansari

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Sabs, some say, has managed to get hold of some really good beauticians from other salons. SO what does Saba have to say about it? “If you take good care of your workers they never leave you. People no longer work just for a salary, they need fulfilment in a broader sense which is what I give them.”

So exactly how does she explain the fact that both she and her salon have made their collective presence felt in a relatively short period of time amidst fiercely guarded camps and cliques of the fashion industry? “My work speaks for itself and I am working with the aim of being counted among the top slot of beauticians. My share of success so far has been due to hard work and a lot of good luck. I had excellent teachers and good projects from day one. And no matter how camped an industry is, one’s good work eventually shines through.

“Also, I feel I have been lucky in the sense that I got good breaks in the print media as well as music videos. I did the styling for Junoon’s Pappu Yaar video and Strings’ Sohniye.” Saba says she also did the cover make-overs for Eman Ali, Iraj and Vinnie for a well-known beauty magazine and the results have been an immense professional gain. “Eman’s shoot was th first time to date that she got her styling done from anybody other than Shehzad Raza of Ather Shehzad, which created quite a sensation,” she says pointing to the enlarged, glass-encased blowups of the shoots gracing her salon wall with all the puffed-up pride of a big-game hunter who shows off his prized kill mounted as a trophy in his study.

So what does she enjoy most — print, videos or regular clients? “To me every avenue is important as it gives me a bigger palette to work on. I recently did the Expo 2005 Wedding Show which included top-notch models of the country and their look received praise from serious fashion critics,” she says.

Commenting on the cliques Saba says, “I wish our fashion industry would get over the Karachi-Lahore bias. Unfortunately, it is especially the models from Lahore who like to work with their preferred camps. I wish this was not the case and if all of us work together, we will excel internationally.”

Catching this writer rather by surprise, it is for a brief, rare moment that she lets her guard down during the course of the interview to comment on the rivalry that exists between the two fashion capitals.

It also becomes painfully clear at this point of the conversation that Saba believes in playing it safe, opting to look from behind rose-tinted glasses while taking the safe path to avoid any controversy whatsoever. While it may be a good place to be, the fact remains that sometimes one needs to take risks by speaking one’s mind, if not anything else but to simply let it be known where one stands on certain issues and be taken seriously.

Saba Ansari says she particularly enjoys working with Iraj, Vaneeza Ahmed, Sunita Marshall, Rabab, Tooba and Zainab Qayyum. She talks of Nadya Hussain, her first model, very fondly, too. “These girls are professionals. They enjoy their work while being creative. As far as photographers are concerned, I hold Deevees, Abid Saleem and Arshad Tareen in high regard.”

The mother of three kids one of which is a teenager, the stylist juggles her career with family thanks to her supportive husband. “I try my best to give them whatever quality time I have though work often takes up most of my time. Having said that, I realize that I would have not made it this far without my husband’s encouragement.”

Saba’s philosophy on beauty is very simple: “A lot of women ask me what they should do to look good. What’s the ultimate regimen to be followed in diet, grooming or fashion. I simply say they should feel happy and be good human beings. No matter what, when you are a happy and positive person you look good. That is perhaps the best advice I can give to a woman for looking her best.

“Fashion sense has permeated the average Pakistani girl now and I get clients who have a very good sense of what suits them even though I do get a ‘make-me-an-Aishwarya’ bride now and then,” she says cattily.

In an industry where beauty and looks matter but vice runs free and untethered, Saba Ansari has only just scoured the surface. And though she has made a name for herself, the wolves are there eying her every move and ready to pounce if and when she falters. How gracefully she conducts herself in the face of adversity will serve as the litmus test of her survival skills, polishing them to razor-sharp perfection.

Fryd – The Band

When this writer reached the rest house of a local TV channel in Karachi to meet the Norwegian music band Fryd exactly at the specified time in the early morning hours, the first band member to walk down dewy-eyed was taken completely by surprise. The blonde vocalist and songwriter, Mocci, with cheerful brown eyes and a pleasant smile joked: “I thought you would arrive at the Pakistani time rather than western; somewhere around 11am and not 9.30 exact. The concept of punctuality is still very confusing here, we still don’t know how sharp is sharp.”

Mocci

Making ourselves comfortable in the balcony while the other two ladies got ready in a hurry, Mocci started out by saying “Fryd means ‘thrill’ and ‘exuberance’ in Norwegian. Our band is about modern music that has taken its roots from the Nordic mythology and folk lore. We work with an Arctic soundscape and merge it with eastern sounds.”

At this moment Hildeguun, a tall brunette with ice-blue eyes and a rather cautious demeanour, introduced herself with a heavy accent as the band’s trumpet and goat-horn player. The third member, Ingrid, joined soon after dressed in a glamorous kurti bought from Karachi’s Tariq Road. She is the band’s songwriter, piano player and electronic composer.

Fryd is still in its infancy stage and was formed only this year. “We came to Pakistan in March 2005 as part of a cultural programme. It was through the sponsoring company’s initiative that we became a band, and that, too, in Pakistan,” says Ingrid.

Ingrid

Having travelled to only a few other countries during this short time, Fryd has become popular among the selected circles which have seen its performances. Just back from having performed in the Rafi Peer Theatre Festival in Lahore, the band’s performance was also appreciated by President Musharraf at the KaraFilm awards ceremony.

Speaking of her Lahore experience, Ingrid adds, “The Rafi Peer Festival was conducted as per international standards. It was a beautiful experience to perform and learn from the maestros here, notably Chand and Surej Khan (vocals), Mazhar Hassan Shagan (rabab), Badar Abbas (flute), Shabir Hussain Khan (tabla) and Goonga and Mithu Sain (dhol). Faizan Peerzada also took us to a Sufi night where we witnessed Pakistani trance music called dhamaal. It was really memserizing.”

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‘Pakistan has treated us like queens. We have been really awed by the culture of hospitality. A Pakistani friend says that guests are considered a gift from God here. Perhaps we in Norway need to learn from that,’ say the Fryd band members

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Hildeguun

Elaborating on their tryst with eastern music so far, Hildeguun said, “Eastern music is very complex and it is going to take us time to get into its depth. However, we now see the similarities between our notes and your ragas after listening to Pakistani music.” She plans to take out her own solo album someday that shall be a culmination of her music journey globally.

All the three band members are accomplished musicians who have had years of formal education and performing experience in the field. Hildeguun has been educated in western classical music and spent the last 10 years living in Sweden and the USA working with various music artistes. Ingrid’s field of specialization is music from 1900s onward to contemporary. She has been composing for various bands and also been engaged in orchestra music, and entertainment music for television. Mocci, on the other hand, got her education in singing, songwriting, jazz and pop soul from the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts also famous as the Paul McCartney Institute, UK.

Talking of which element she sees as most important in a music team, Ingrid says, “When you write music it isn’t music till it is performed by good musicians. That is why we could only make music that has satisfied us, because of the talent to play good music, too. Same goes for the great Pakistani musicians we have performed with.”

Commenting on their experience of meeting President Musharraf, Mocci says, “It was great to see the President thrice in our performances in Islamabad and Lahore. He took time to thank all the musicians and at Alhamra he sat among the common audience beyond his scheduled time. It was a great gesture and we like his commitment to the exchange of cultures and ideas.”

“In fact”, she adds, “We also plan to take the Rafi Peer Theatre and its performers to Norway and make this cultural exchange more successful and so that people in Norway can also benefit from the wealth of talent here.”

Ingrid said that Fryd is working on some collaborative projects with local musicians and plans on bringing out a CD. “It is a great feeling to see music from our region and Pakistan converge into a new form rather than remain distinct tunes. It’s always great to work with modern music that has taken its roots from a rich culture and we see that a lot in the Pakistani music videos. We are also looking forward to working with Fuzon as well in this regard as their music is a beautiful blend of the past and the present,” says Ingrid.

“Pakistan has treated us like queens”, say the three in unison. “We have been really awed by your culture of hospitality. A Pakistani friend says that guests are considered a gift from God here. Perhaps we in Norway need to learn from that.”

“The only thing I found a trifle surprising was how popular lip syncing is here. The people in Pakistan enjoy prerecorded performances by artistes which is quite uncommon back home in Norway,” said Mocci as an afterthought.

Ali Rizvi

Ali Rizvi

Veterans of any institution imbue its culture in their personalities. Ali Rizvi is a veteran PTV producer with almost 30 years of plays and serials, which include quite a few hits, under his belt. His extremely cautious demeanour is complemented by a sharp mind that seeks to tabulate all pros and cons before answering even simple questions. So how would he defend the dwindling viewership of PTV?

“With so many channels bringing an onslaught of choices into people’s living rooms, PTV has suffered. But one has to see how we have managed to keep our culture intact by depicting Pakistani life as it is. You don’t see over-glamourized beauties decked up in the finest jewellery with fake expressions, like you do in Indian soaps. You see the common man on PTV with his tales of joy and sorrow. No wonder the national network is watched in more areas of Pakistan than any other channel. Conversely, the beauty of drama has died with this onslaught of soaps. The growth of the genre is only in terms of quantity and not quality.”

Ali Rizvi emphasizes that PTV dramas have retained the quality of the golden days.

“Seasoned writers like Haseena Moin, Abdul Qadir Junejo, Kamal Ahmed Rizvi, Taj Haider etc., are a cut above the novices writing tele-plays nowadays. They have a strong grip on the common man’s feelings, their characterizations reflect a deep insight into the human psyche. This is where PTV wins. PTV producers, including myself, have always insisted on quality scripts.”

Rizvi is most proud of his stand in maintaining the quality of serials he has directed.

 

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‘One has to see how we have managed to keep our culture intact by depicting Pakistani life as it is on PTV. You don’t see over-glamourized beauties decked up in the finest jewellery using fake expressions, like you do in Indian soaps. You see the common man with his tales of joy and sorrow’
 

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“I have always cast actors who are of the same age as the character they have to play. I have never compromised on that, which is why one would never see my actors sporting fake grey hair or beards to portray an elderly character. This is what you see on other channels, where a woman young enough to be an actor’s daughter would be playing his mother. It is quite bizarre when you don’t see veins and wrinkles on a young actor who sports a white wig.”

His favourite actors include Talat Hussain and Shafi Muhammad Shah, whom he enjoys working with.

“The best actor is the one who completely understands what the role means and why and how it was conceived and how they fit into it.”

Married to producer Zartaj Ali, who is a specialist producer at PTV for children’s programmes, the couple has three children. Ali Rizvi seems to be content with his domestic life, as well as his professional career. To him, his biggest achievement is when someone calls him up at home to praise him for his serials.

“It is a gratifying moment when someone from the general public manages to find my number and takes time out to call me to appreciate my work. After all, it isn’t the producer who first comes to mind when a serial becomes a hit. It is usually the cast and then the writer. So when people remember me, it is indeed a pleasure.”

A producer, he says, has an immense responsibility to society.

“I have to educate society through my frames. I have to be a writer as well as an actor and a visualizer in order to produce a hit venture. A producer can convey incisive truths very subtly and tactfully.”

PTV has ingrained self-censorship in its producers through the years. With changing policies on censorship, the producers themselves refrain from taking any chances. “We exercise caution and say things where we can say them without crossing any limits.”

The toughest hour for Ali Rizvi is when his serials go on air.

“It is the most painful night when I see my work on television! I have so many regrets, such as that shot could have been taken in a better way or this dialogue could have been delivered in a particular way.”

Rizvi’s most enjoyable serials that he has produced are Aansoo and Des Pardes. Both were written by Haseena Moin and became quite popular. Aansoo, with its picturesque Scottish locale and superb cast, was a breath of fresh air for viewers. He, however, still prefers long plays that are issue-based. His popular plays Agar Aur Jeetay Rehtay by Anwar Maqsood and Your Obedient Servant won several awards and are still remembered by viewers.

“A lot of my inspiration came from the late Shahzad Khalil. I did Panah I and Panah II with him, which were based on the miseries of Afghan refugees. Shahzad had a tremendous sense of innovation and a great working style,” reveals Ali.

In the end the veteran producer has a small wish.

“When I retire from work and eventually move on to the next abode, I hope people will say that I have done well.”

Javed Sheikh

Javed Sheikh

Real Age: “Almost 50.”

What do you love most about yourself: “My honesty and affection for others.”

What do you hate most about yourself: “I am very disorganized.”

Your next film: “Khulay aasman kay neechay. It’s due to be released by the end of 2004.”

Will it have Sana in it: “Yes, but it also features Meera.” When are you getting married next: “I haven’t given it a thought.”

Is that an honest answer: “Yes, whatever I say is the honest truth. I love my honesty.”

Your biggest setback: “I’ve had no setbacks. I look at life in a different way. I started out from scratch and God has been very kind to me. So I don’t think I’ve had any setbacks along the way.”

The best thing about showbiz: “Glitz, glamour, fame, money…everything!”

Biggest fantasy: “To get an Oscar!”

A moment you wish lasted for eternity: “When I was standing in the Warren Cinema at the premiere of my film, Yeh dil aap ka huwa in Leicester Square, London, in front of 500 people. It was a dream come true.”

A person whose opinions really matter to you: “My sister, brother-in-law, brothers and my closest friends. I don’t bother about what others think of me. But these people must not be offended by anything I do or say.”

Three words that describe you: “Coolheaded, softhearted and…Straightforward,” he chuckles mischievously.