Contents
All that glitters
10
Interview: Mehtab Rashidi
20
Fashion: Bold yet Chic
25
Revolutionary Style
30
Travel 34 Massarat’s Makeovers
38
Books 39 Stars & starlets
40
Recipes 42 Movies 44 Peepli Live
46
Glamstock 47 Taroscope 48 Aunt Athena
50
Editor Injila Baqir Zeeshan Sub Editors Fatima Zehra Naqvi Sahar Iqbal Creative Head Babur Saghir Graphic Designers Javeria Mirza Sana Ahmed Mian Nasir Photographer Mohammad Amir Baba
25
Bold yet chic
Woman of Substance
Mahtab Rashidi:
The smile that
conquered hearts By Nabila Malick
W
e know Mahtab Rashidi from her TV appearances of the seventies and eighties when she was a young beautiful woman who had captured the hearts of her viewers by her mesmerising smile and her open, candid mannerism. She hosted many talk shows including ‘Farozan’. This woman is a rare combination of beauty with brains. Mahtab is remembered by her audiences for her disappearance from the screen, unwilling to sacrifice her freedom for fame, when Zia ul Haq came into power and imposed his brand of Islam across television programmes. She reappeared after Zia’s death during the election transmission. Mahtab is currently planning a few programmes on Hum Television and the Pakistan Television Network (PTV). One of her programmes is ‘Meri Kahani Meri Zubani’ now being aired on Hum TV. It documents the lives of the living legends of the country. Mahtab was born in a family of four sisters and one brother. Her father was a schoolteacher and her mother an illiterate woman. She belongs to the village of the late prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Her father was a very liberal man and despite his rural background, he supported female education and made sure that all his four daughters received quality education even if it meant migrating from his village to where higher education was available. In Naudero, there were
20 I November 28 - December 04, 2010
Mahtab moved to Karachi and got posted as Secretary Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports. She is the first woman to hold this title. She later became the Director General of Environment, then Secretary Education and Secretary Culture. She retired from her administration jobs as Secretary Inter-provincial Coordination no schools for girls. They shifted to Hyderabad. She is the youngest of her four sisters. She remembers her childhood as a very happy, blissful period except when her father forced her into studying sciences. She had no aptitude for science subjects. She did poorly in her exams and her father had to give in to her interest for studying art subjects. That is where she excelled. She nostalgically remembers how her mother was not very happy about her TV assignments but her father supported her through and through and let her follow the path of her dreams. “We are going backwards in many ways and one of them is the way women are treated in our society,” says Mahtab. “Girls used to have a better life, a more liberal lifestyle in yesteryears compared with current times. These undue restrictions kill confidence, productivity and creativity in humans. We need to do away with these social norms,” she adds. She has a gift of interacting with children. It was her dream to become a schoolteacher. Therefore, she did her graduation in Education and joined St. Mary College in Hyderabad to follow the path of her dreams. However, she left when she won a lectureship at the Government College. She was working in Sindh Uni-
Receiving Talented Girl Award from Nusrat Bhutto (1964)
Mr Gulam Raza awarding first prize for debates
With Tariq Aziz on Apni Baat
With Naveed Shehzad
In Iss Haftay (1976)
With Fatima Surraiya Bajia
November 28 - December 04, 2010 I 21
She is also a member of the Sindh Graduate Association and President of Business and Professional Women Association. Mahtab is the Executive Director of I Television Network that handles HUM, Masala, Oye and Style 360 versity International Relations Department when she won the Fulbright Scholarship and left to complete her higher education in the United States. She rejoined her previous job after returning. This is where she met her husband, Akbar Rashidi. Her first meeting with him remains memorable: a university photographer had introduced Rashidi to her and suggested that she could let Rashidi drop her off to her department as he had his own car. Mahtab kept waiting for Rashidi to make the offer, but when he didn’t she decided to wait for her ride and not impose herself on him. However, she was quite offended by the snobbish attitude. A few days later, Rashidi had to visit her department for some building repairs and that is how they got to know each other. In 1981, Mahtab was married to Rashidi in a grand ceremony that was attended by the late Benazir herself. Reminiscing about the early days of her married life, she said her marriage was not an easy one. Her in-laws were not very enthusiastic about their son’s bride. But the attitudes changed seeing her excel so remarkably in life! She has two sons, Rafay and Suhaib. Rafay is married and settled in Pakistan Suhaib is still studying. In 1988, Mahtab moved to Karachi and got posted as Secretary Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports. She is the first woman to have held this title. Later, she became the Director General of Environment, then Secretary Education and Secretary Culture. She retired from her administration job as Secretary Inter-provincial Coordination. Mahtab managed time for social welfare activities despite her demanding job portfolios. She became a volunteer for Rahnuma Family Planning Association of Pakistan in 1980 and continues to serve the organisation in the capacity of a vice president even today. She is also a member of the Sindh Graduate Association and President of Business and Professional Women Association. Mahtab is the Executive Director of I Television Network that handles HUM, Masala, Oye and Style 360. She loves to read books, likes being at home more that anywhere else but doesn’t like to cook. She enjoys socialising but only with close friends. She believes her biggest achievement is being considered a woman, whom others want to follow. Photography: AFZL Studios 22 I November 28 - December 04, 2010
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V o g u e ’s t a k e o n K a r a c h i Fa s h i o n W e e k
Revolutionary Style
F
By Carla Power
rom afar, staging a Fashion Week in Pakistan seems as silly as high-kicking on the lip of a volcano. Showing micro-minis and bustiers in a country where some women can’t leave home without burqas could feel as willfully detached, and as
clueless as Marie Antoinette playing milkmaid while the French Revolution brewed. But this spring, when Ayesha “Tammy” Haq produced Karachi’s second Fashion Week, she saw the shows rather differently. They were a bid for liberty, she says. For Haq, the collections were about more than clothes, about more, even, than helping a fledgling industry find its feet. They stood as proof not just to Pakistanis but to
30 I November 28 - December 04, 2010
Against the backdrop of violence and strife, Pakistani designers are creating fashions to transform a country’s global image the world that Pakistan was far more than a failed state full of fundamentalists. “If I say I’m Pakistani, people are shocked,” says
HSY
Nida Azwer
Nickie Nina
Fashion Pakistan’s CEO, sipping cappuccino at the Karachi Marriott Hotel. “They say, ‘Where’s the head scarf? Yes, there are guns, beards, and burqas. But our problem is that we haven’t been able to show any other side of Pakistan. We have an 8,000-year-old heritage. We can’t let a few thousand people destroy it.” Downstairs, six sniffer dogs hunt for bombs, while Pakistan army Rangers, police, and security guards patrol. Upstairs, in Suite 317, Fashion Week’s headquarters, preparations are equally vigilant. A runway map is tacked up on the wall. Haq’s two BlackBerries vibrate furiously, and fears of bombs are trumped by more pressing business. Over five nights, 56 mostly local designers presented their fall collections in a tent at the Marriott packed with socialites, industrialists, and funksters. Pakistani and Eastern European models strutted to sound tracks ranging from ZZ Top to Sufi devotionals.
Despite the power cuts that darken the tent every night, the red carpetand Tammy’s pre-show jitters-recalls the vibe at a Western Fashion Week. Are the buyers placing orders? What to tell tonight’s wait list? “We’ve had 18,000 requests for 3,500 tickets,” sighs Haq in the plum-jam accent of the Pakistani elites. “The entire country wants an invite!” For a nation frequently dismissed as a chaotic mess, Pakistan certainly appreciates fashion. Cynics might say clothes consciousness is just a luxury for the “tik tiks” - slang for Pakistani socialites, from the tik of stilettos on marble. But it’s more democratic than that. The same week the tik tiks fought for Fashion Week seats, there were serums at sales of a top design team’s diffusion line of shalwar kameez, the traditional South Asian tunic-and-trouser set. Guards struggled
The runway serves as a thin strip of possibilities, a white space for testing cultural freedoms to contain thousands of women shoppers, who stopped traffic in Karachi. Urban women, now working more, need clothes for the office. Even in dire fiscal times, dressing well remains a matter of familial pride. “As poor as you are, you want your daughter to leave the house with three suits when she marries,” says designer Safinaz Muneer. “Anyone who has touched womenswear has done well.” Dressing beautifully isn’t limited to city dwellers. “Tribal areas have this rich heritage of amazing colour and cuts,” Haq says. “They’re not just in gunny sacks.” It’s craftsmanship, combined with a
November 28 - December 04, 2010 I 31
growing skill, that Pakistani designers hope will help reform their country’s image abroad, and its economy at home. “By promoting our fashion, Tammy Haq is changing the face of the country,” says designer Imran Saleem, his eyes filling with tears. “She’s doing jihad for Pakistan.” Jihad literally means “struggle,” and it will be one to turn Pakistani fashion into a grown-up industry. Pakistan’s design world remains as tribal as its countryside. Its fashion journalists write venomous reviews. Karachi and Lahore are split by bitter rivalry: Each held a separate Fashion Week for its city’s designers. Pakistan’s reputation makes foreign investors skittish. News like the June confession of the Pakistani-born Times Square bomber hardly burnishes the image of a wannabe fashion capital. A corporate lawyer with a penchant for Prada, Haq wants the world to look beyond the headlines. Convent-educated, like many upper-class Pakistani girls, Haq shocked the nuns by wanting to be one of the Supremes - “It was the miniskirts and eyelashes” - before going to Britain to get her law degree. She’s spent chunks of her life abroad, and now her Karachi is a global city, where she lives in a sprawling house guarded by servants, and eats at restaurants serving sashimi and foie gras. But Haq has also known a more traditional Pakistan. During her marriage to a wealthy landowner, she had to arrive in her husband’s village with her face covered. When the marriage ended, Haq went to New York to work for a law firm. She credits a Calvin Klein suit and La Perla underwear for giving her the confidence to ace the interviews. Getting a job “was like life and death,” she says. “I was leaving my husband. I was 40. I didn’t want anyone to say, ‘Poor Tammy.’ “ Living in Karachi since 2003, she’s been a talk-show host and an organizational powerhouse in earthquake-relief efforts and 2001’s lawyers’ movement. As Haq tells it, promoting Pakistan’s fashion is not so very far from her work for its judicial independence. “The shows are about freedom of expression, of belief, and of thought,” she says. In Pakistan, clothes are particularly charged objects. When the Taliban overran the Swat Valley in 2007, they forced the region’s women into burqas. In this climate, a fashion runway showing models’ belly buttons and limbs - as Haq’s did - makes a strong statement. The runway serves as a thin strip of possibilities, a white space for testing cultural freedoms. “The Pakistan I grew up in was tolerant, pluralistic, and safe,” says the 52-year-old Haq. “Then came the military dictatorship and the country slipping toward fundamentalism. Fashion Week is about taking back our own space.”
32 I November 28 - December 04, 2010
Haq’s organizing talents led designers Maheen Khan and Rizwan Beyg, Fashion Pakistan’s founders to show up at her house last summer, refusing to leave until she agreed to be CEO of the industry body. “They bullied me until I said yes” says Haq, laughing. Granted, the request came from local fashion royalty: when Khan showed in Milan, the Italian press called her the “Coco Chanel of the East.” It was her workshop that embroidered Cate Blanchett’s jewel-encrusted gowns for her roles as Queen Elizabeth I, and turned out costumes for the Russell Crowe vehicle Robin Hood. At her workshop, the tailors sit on the floor, pressing sewing-machine trestles with their knees having spurned the expensive Juki machines Khan has offered them. They prefer to do the work as they’ve always done. Beyg’s clothes are worn by welldressed Pakistani women, as well as Western ones like Tony Blair’s wife Cherie. To revive Pakistani craftsmanship, he pays 700 women to do traditional embroidery, which he incorporates into his designs. He hopes the work preserves not only Pakistan’s cultural past but also its future: “If a woman is making her own money, she can pay for her children’s schooling. They don’t have to go to madrasas, which people go to because they’re free,” he reasons. “You’ve saved them from becoming suicide bombers.” Suicide bombs meant Pakistan’s first Fashion Week last fall was postponed twice. Recalls Haq, “The military said, ‘Very bad idea. Don’t do it.’ “ But she persisted, leading the world’s media to read the shows as defiance to the Taliban. Delighted as they were to have captured global attention, Karachi’s designers scoff at having their creative efforts reduced to antifundamentalist statement. “We continue to do what we do despite the Taliban, not because of them,” says Beyg. “Elegance, exquisite artisanship - this is who we are.” Yet fashion doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and for some designers - much like Pakistan’s writers, musicians, and artists - the militants have served as inspiration. In a world that takes the fundamentalist threat deadly seriously, it is Pakistan’s creative types who seem most relaxed about playing around with the militants’ image. This season, some male models wore the long tresses black turbans, and kohl-rimmed eyes favoured by the Taliban. Khawar Riaz, the stylist behind the look, doesn’t sympathize with the militants - save on grounds of aesthetics: “I find the Taliban rich, exotic, and somehow erotic.” In America, such a comment would be shocking. In Pakistan, where people recently feared that the Taliban might capture the capital Islamabad, it’s a mode of coping. Courtesy: Vogue
Travel
Unto us a saint is given
By Salman Rashid
S
ome eight or nine kilometres from Kharian city en route to Jhelum by the Grand Trunk Road, if you are careful, you will notice as you enter the Pabbi Hills a shrine on a low knoll just off the road to your right. The green dome is unremarkable, but the dozen or so fading green flags fluttering around it catch the eye. In fact,
there are two sets of green flags. The one around the domed building and the other on a slightly higher hummock twenty metres or so to its northwest. Just below them runs the main railway line. By the southbound track of the highway a tent is pitched and next to it sits a steel collection box minded by a man who, it is claimed, is an employee of the Auqaf Department. I do not recollect ever noticing this shrine in passing – and I have passed up and down this highroad innumerable times. Indeed the six years I spent at Kharian in the early 1970s and the several walks I took in these hills also throw up no memory of this establishment. But that may not necessarily mean it was not there. It only means that I am not particularly drawn to shrines, real or imaginary, or that it may then just have been an insignificant set up.
34 I November 28 - December 04, 2010
Choa Kariala station
In all this, one wonders, whatever happened to that wiseacre who first ‘revealed’ the existence of this saint. How did he stand to gain from this monkey business? Concerning this shrine my civil servant friend Shahid Nadeem has an interesting tale to tell and it was with him I went there one day recently. Shahid’s tale later, but first the young man we met collecting donations thrown out of passing traffic. He said Syed Sabir Hussain was a great saint who passed away about a hundred years ago. He came here from the east country and made the bald knoll his home where he spent his days in the worship of his Lord. Since there was no water nearby, passing trains would halt to fill up the man’s pitchers.
North-bound train passing through the nearby Choa Kariala station. One wonders why these trains do not stop at the shrine nowadays.
One day a negligent driver failed to do the duty. Lo and Behold, the train just ground to a halt and stopped right below the knoll where the old man was sitting. No matter how hard the driver tried, the train would not budge. On someone’s suggestion the driver made the water offering and sure enough the engine agreed to haul once again. From then on this became standard operating procedure for all trains. Time passed and the 1971 war with India rolled around. The army thought Sabir Hussain was a spy passing on valuable information to the enemy. They hauled him in and administered the old routine. The man, so our informant said, was fasting and would not speak. Well and properly belaboured, he was eventually taken to an officer who somehow knew of the his saintly credentials and who ordered his release. Sabir Hussain was so incensed at the army’s treatment that he hated all wearers of the khaki from then on. Shortly after this event, an ammunition convoy passing by this place managed to blow itself up. Not a man survived nor too a vehicle. In fact, the bombs even landed on Choa Kariala a good five or six hundred metres away. Such was the saint’s venom, it was said. I found this rather interesting. First we were told the old man passed away a hundred years ago and now it was that he was still mucking about in 1971. I asked our man how he reconciled the discrepancy. He grimaced like we Punjabis do when we say, ‘Oh
damn! What a goof up!’ ‘No, no! You don’t understand.’ Said he, ‘Sarkar came here a hundred years ago and died only recently.’ This pious man of God had dug his grave with his own hands. In preparation of death that might come during sleep, the man would lay himself down in his grave every night. No one knows if he died or what, but having laid down in the grave one evening, he did not emerge the following morning. Lesser mortals believed he had gone into purdah – concealed himself from the sight of sinful humans. Thereafter the grave was filled in and became a worship site. The burial on the neighbouring hillock is said to be of one of his disciples. But about this lesser saint who also commands a few flags, nothing else is known. This meant, said our man, that sarkar died sometime after the 1971 war when he was mistaken for a spy. Shahid asked what it was that drew people to the site and we were told that this was the place to cure arthritis and cardiac diseases. The shrine, he told us, was known as Jhandian wali Sarkar – Lord of the Flags, because of all the flags planted around about. We were also told that the Auqaf Department built the domed shrine some years ago. Until then, there was
The pious man of God had dug his grave with his own hands. In preparation of death that might come during sleep, the man would lay himself down in his grave every night. only a simple grave. The annual urs or death anniversary festival is held in the first week of the Punjabi month of Jeth (third week of May) and invariably there is a fall of rain the day before festivities begin. All this was told us between several trips out to the edge of the road for the man to collect the money that was constantly being tossed out by passing lorries and buses. Shahid, the good Accounts Group officer that he is, later estimated that the collection was no less than three hundred rupees. And we had spent only an hour or so there. Shahid’s tale is far more edifying, however. It was told him by the late Colonel Imdad Malik who once commanded 14 Field Regiment of Pakistan Artillery. The year, so goes the colonel’s tale, was 1953 when the Army undertook the well-known exercise known as
November 28 - December 04, 2010 I 35
November Handicap. The colonel’s regiment (14 Field) deployed in the vicinity of village Choa Kariala just outside Kharian. Now, November Handicap was what they call a ‘signal exercise’ in the army. That is, they did not use all the equipment but fought the war on wireless sets; flags depicting guns and other equipment. Consequently, the 105 mm howitzers
the winds and the next thing you know your jiggery-pokery will have become part of folklore. And so our little genius prepared the two graves, planted some flags in continuation of the army’s practice and the rest, as they say, was history. The saint was antedated to a previous time when steam trains ran and as time went by the story expanded by natural accretion.
that 14 Field took into battle were also shown by flags. One of these howitzers (or flags, if you please) was placed where Sabir Hussain now supposedly reposes. On the neighbouring height they placed another flag depicting a bren gun in antiaircraft role. The necessary slit trenches for the gun crews were dug and the great battle between Foxland and Blueland fought out in the cool November days and nights of 1953. What Colonel Malik remembered clearly and recounted to Shahid was that there was no tomb, whether a simple grave or a domed shrine, on either of the two knolls that marked his defensive position. Now, anyone who knows a slit trench will know how very like a grave it looks. So here is what I believe happened: the exercise over, the trenches were carelessly filled in, the flags removed and 14 Field Regiment moved out. Some smart-aleck local who had seen the flags and now found the partially filled in trench would have invented the story and passed it around. I maintain about us as a nation that we can get wisdom in only through a hole in our head. But walk along a deserted place whispering foolishness to
The ammunition convoy came later and I will not be surprised if the story of the bombs landing on the nearby village was grafted upon the yarn when news of the Ojhri blast and how rockets rained on ‘Pindi and Islamabad became well known. If this saint lived on until the 1970s there would surely be some retired engine driver still alive today who could tell of how passing trains were obligated to make the water stop. As certainly as I breath today, there is not one mother’s son of a former locomotive driver in Pakistan who will vouch for this deceitful fabrication. Equally certainly there will be no record of any out-of-station train stoppage in this area or of the army losing a full ammunition convoy. I, for one, remember many train journeys up and down this line in the 1960’s and 70’s, but I do not recall the train ever holding up by Choa Kariala railway station. Centuries ago when our ancestors converted to Islam, they were hard put to grasp the abstraction of an unseen god. The practice of worshipping an image of a deity was deeply ingrained in their psyche and even though they out-
36 I November 28 - December 04, 2010
wardly fell in line with the new belief, they hankered for an image of a god. Or, if you please, of an intermediary between them and their god. And so they took to worshipping the graves of those who had converted them to the new faith. This ritual caught on until we have come to a pass where every single grave in this great and wonderful land is considered worthy of being worshipped. Jhandian wali Sarkar thus satisfies that need for the intermediary that those who believe in god should know neither exists nor is needed. The keeper, assigned by the Auqaf Department, could only confirm that there were many miracles attributed to this nonexistent saint. Among these he recounted was the habitual train stoppage. Heaven knows what the real purpose of this department ever was, but it is now a money-maker for the government. Presumably having taken it over after they became aware of the goodly collection it was making from passing traffic, they helped expand the myth. The keeper said this shrine had a ‘passing-traffic lease’ – because the income comes largely from passing traffic. That is, it was leased out (the same way as any octroi post would be) to a moneyed contractor and the lease renewed annually like any other lease. In other words the Jhandian wali Sarkar shrine is a money-making concern for a rich and surely illiterate contractor and an impoverished and equally illiterate government. In a better society the government would strive to educate its people and wean them away from such superstitious practice, but here they’ll encourage it for a few extra rupees to misappropriate. Here the government and the contractor gang up to prey on the superstitions of illiterate masses. In all this, one wonders, whatever happened to that wiseacre who first ‘revealed’ the existence of this saint. How did he stand to gain from this monkey business? As surely as I breathe today, if they were to dig up the ‘graves’, they’ll not find anything below. And as surely as I breathe today, people come to watch will raise their hands in orison, praise the Lord and murmur; ‘Sarkar has preserved himself in his purdah.’ Long live Pir Howitzer Shah and his disciple Pir Bren Gun Shah.
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38 I November 28 - December 04, 2010
Books
Qualitative Research
A complete analysis
T
By Beenish Mahmood
he book has been divided into three sections all tacking one or another aspect of qualitative research. There are two types of research, qualitative and quantitative. The two differ highly in their objectives and impact. Although they are conjoined in their ‘underlying’ aim to “make the research disciplined and hence scientific” pg (3), yet qualitative research is a much better approach to apply than the other quantitative aspect of it. The three sections are namely: ‘Research North and South’, ‘Qualitative Research in the South: Focus on Ethics’ and ‘Qualitative Research in the South: Focus on Methodology’. The first section aims to “bridge the North/South divide.” The social setup and culture stand juxtaposed to each other in the North and the South. They are two different regions that are situated poles apart both geographically and culturally. And this “divide” creates a conflict of opinion and fact. For instance in Pakistan the researchers and educationists are required to follow the patterns of research of America and Britain. However, the research has to be environment oriented and it becomes increasingly difficult to adapt to the codes and conduct of the North. The final section highlights the tips on methodology. It deals with the technical aspect of qualitative research. It embarks to cover the methodological and ethical issues in research. Finally the most important element of qualitative research is reflexivity. Reflexivity is a way to identify and “acknowledge the subjectivities inherent in qualitative research in education” while permitting to address the ethical and methodological bewilderment faced in the field. The message that the book aims to deliver is that research is different in different areas of the world due to the existence of several factors such as social, economic, political and cultural, and that researchers and teachers need to take them into account and adapt accordingly.
‘Perils, Pitfalls and Reflexivity in Qualitative Research in Education’ has been edited by Fauzia Shamim and Rashida Qureshi and launched by the Oxford University Press and Society of Pakistan English Language Teachers (SPELT) November 28 - December 04, 2010 I 39
Stars & Starlets
Stars & starlets
Beyonce’s new fragrance ad banned
Singer Beyonce’s new TV ad for her perfume, Heat, has been reportedly banned from the small screen in the daytime. The raunchy new promo shows the singer lying seductively on a bed, before going on to stroke her thighs while wearing a sexy red dress. As she walks away from the camera, her footprints melt and she says, “Catch the fever”. Britain’s advertising standards authority has brought the restrictions after complaints from viewers.
For Preity, family comes first Actress Preity Zinta will not be partying and chilling with her friends this New Year but that hasn’t stopped her from making grand plans. The actress is planning to take her grandmother to US and ring in 2011 with family and close relatives who stay in America. She is also looking to take her grandmom for some shopping as it will be mighty cold in the US in December.
Imran bonds with Ranbir’s mom Imran Khan had a rather warm rendezvous with Ranbir’s mother, Neetu Kapoor and sister, Ridhima. Not too long ago, Ranbir and Imran were on a bad wicket. But that now is history. Imran was in New York for the promotion of ‘Break Ke Baad’. Despite a hectic schedule, he walked around Manhattan, where he actually bumped into Neetu and her daughter Ridhima. It turns out they all had a blast. A source said, “There have been various rumours about how Imran and Ranbir are no longer friends, especially after Imran’s fiancée Avantika apparently made fun of Ranbir at a multiplex while watching ‘Rajneeti’. However, both of them met on the Karan Johar show and now they got along like a house on fire. So, when he bumped into Ranbir’s mother, they instantly started chatting. Imran met her extremely warmly and she was also seen reciprocating. Surprisingly they were staying at the same hotel too.”
SRK to play villain in ‘Dhoom 3’ It’s official now. Yash Raj Films scion Aditya Chopra will hold the directorial reins of the much talked about and eagerly anticipated ‘Dhoom 3’. After the super success of ‘Dhoom’ and ‘Dhoom 2’, there was much speculation about who will play the lead negative role in the film and who will direct the film. But Adi, in the meanwhile, is preening himself for this profitable hattrick. A source said, “Aditya has now decided that he will don the director’s cap. While Shah Rukh Khan in all probability will be playing the role of a villain, Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra will play their regular roles. The leading ladies are yet to be finalised. The film will go on the floors in March and SRK has already allotted the dates for this film.”
Jolie and Depp bond over kids Actor Johnny Depp has revealed how he bonded with actor Angelina Jolie on their first-ever meeting by talking about their children. Depp, 47, and Jolie, 35, had never met before they starred in action thriller ‘The Tourist’, but as soon as they started talking about his two children and her six, they got on very well. “We sat there and babbled about our kids, and it was a huge relief. I was pleasantly surprised that she has an incredibly perverse sense of humour. She’s a really cool broad,” he was quoted as saying.
40 I November 28 - December 04, 2010
Recipes
Chef Abdul Manan has worked with Royal Palm, World Fashion Cafe, Hot Wok Cafe in Lahore, Eye Television Network, ALite, Masala, Style360 and APlus, and also runs his own catering business by the name of Urban Gourmets.
Raan Aalishaan INGREDIENTS Lamb leg
1.5-2 kg
Marinade Ginger garlic paste Red chilli powder Salt Garam Masala powder Yogurt Lemon juice
2 tbsp 1 tbsp 1 tbsp 1 tbsp 1 cup ¼ cup
Mace powder Nutmeg powder Cumin powder Tandoori colour Almond paste Khas khas paste Oil Water
½ tsp ½ tsp 1 tbsp 1 tsp 2 tbsp 2 tbsp ¼ cup 3 cups to cook
METHOD Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Make slashes on lamb meat so that marinade can penetrate deep inside the meat and tenderise it. Let the meat marinate overnight. Take a vessel, put leg along with the marinade in it, add enough water and cook by covering with lid till water evaporates, leg become dry and masala coats it well. Take a baking tray, place leg on it and grill for ten minutes each side to give colour and make it crispy. You can also bake it in the oven on gas mark 4 or 180 C for 1 ½ hr, turning alternately.
42 I November 28 - December 04, 2010
Turkish Sheesh Kebab INGREDIENTS Lamb boneless, diced Tomatoes 4, diced Marinade Olive oil ½ cup Garlic paste 1 tbsp Mint chopped 2 tbsp Green chilli paste 2 tbsp Salt 2 tsp Lemon juice ¼ cup Mustard paste 2 tbsp Black pepper powder 1 tsp
METHOD
Celebrity’s favourite
Nilofer Shahid of Meeras likes to cook and eat:
Baked fish with cheese sauce Nonstick spray coating 1 lb fresh skinless orange roughage, flounder or sole fillets (1/2 to 3/4 inch thick) 1 tbsp butter 2 tbsp fine dry bread crumbs 3/4 cup skim milk 1 tbsp all purpose flour 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz) 1 1/2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl, mix with meat and marinade for at least four hours or overnight. On a skewer, thread one cube of tomato, then of marinated beef, then tomato and repeat remaining skewers like that. Cook on charcoal grill and baste with oil during cooking. Serve hot with pulao or pita bread.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, spray a shallow baking dish with nonstick coating. Place fillets in dish, tucking under any thin edges. Melt butter; brush on top of fish. Top with bread crumbs. Bake in the 400 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. While fish is baking, prepare sauce. In a small saucepan stir together milk and flour. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Add cheese and mustard. Cook and stir until cheese melts. To serve, divide sauce among 4 individual serving plates. Place 1 portion of fish on each plate atop sauce. Garnish with dill weed (optional) and serve with steamed pea pods and sweet red pepper, if desired. Serves 4.
Per serving:
Calories 206; protein 22 g; carbohydrates 6 g; fat 8 g; cholesterol 70 mg; sodium 361 mg; potassium 477 mg. Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 10 to 15 minutes.
November 28 - December 04, 2010 I 43
Films
In cinemas now! ‘The Warrior’s Way’
Release date: December 3, 2010 Director: Sngmoo Lee Star cast: Kate Bosworth, Geoffrey Rush, Danny Huston, Tony Cox, Dong-Gun Jang Genre: Action/fantasy Synopsis: ‘The Warrior’s Way’ is a visually stunning modern martial arts western starring Korean actor Dong-gun Jang who plays an Asian warrior assassin forced to hide in a small town in the American Badlands. Rounding out the ensemble cast are Kate Bosworth, Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush, Danny Huston and Tony Cox.
‘Black Swan’
Release date: December 3, 2010 Director: Darren Aronofsky Star cast: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder, Barbara Hershey Genre: Drama/thriller Synopsis: It follows the story of Nina (Natalie Portman), a ballerina whose life is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously supports her daughter. When director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with and the Black Swan. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry, Nina begins to get in touch with her dark side that threatens to destroy her.
‘I Love You Phillip Morris’
Release date: December 3, 2010 Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa Star cast: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, David Jensen Genre: Comedy/crime Synopsis: When a local Texas policeman, Steve Russell (Jim Carrey), turns to cons and fraud to allow him to change his lifestyle (in more ways than one), his subsequent stay in the state penitentiary results in his meeting the love of his life, a sensitive fellow inmate named Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor). What ensues can only be described as a relentless quest as Russell attempts escape after escape and executes con after con, all in the name of love.
44 I November 28 - December 04, 2010
‘Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey’ Release date: December 3, 2010 Director: Ashutosh Gowariker Star cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone Genre: Thriller Synopsis: 1930, British India: In the province of undivided Bengal lies the sleepy, peaceful port of Chittagong. In this unassuming little town a revolution is about to begin; a revolution which will forever wake all of Chittagong and inspire the entire nation. April 18. 1 night. 5 simultaneous attacks. A band of 64 – 56 innocent yet fearless young boys, 5 defiant revolutionaries, 2 determined young women, and an idealistic leader Surjya Sen, a school teacher by profession. This group of 64 represents a little known chapter in history: a forgotten night that reigned terror on the British through a series of calculated attacks. ‘Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey’ is a true story of these forgotten heroes and the narrative takes us through every step of the action from the initial trepidation, to the thrill of the attack, to the underground movement, daring escapes and tragic captures, and most importantly, their undying legacy. A period thriller, the film is based on the book ‘Do and Die’.
Timeless Classics ‘Saboteur’ Saboteur is defined as someone who commits or performs an act of sabotage or betrayal. The 1942 film starring Robert Cummings (Barry Kanes) and Priscilla Lanes (Patricia) as the protagonists is the production of Alfred Hitchcock, the king of suspense drama. A black and white production hit the box office and made a “tidy profit for all involved.” Bosley Crowther of The New York Times called the film a “swift, high-tension film which throws itself forward so rapidly that it permits slight opportunity for looking back. And it hurtles the holes and bumps which plague it with a speed that forcefully tries to cover them up Crowther noted that “so abundant [are] the breathless events that one might forget, in the hubbub, that there is no logic in this wild-goose chase;” he also questioned the “casual presentation of the FBI as a bunch of bungling dolts, [the film’s] general disregard of authorized agents, and [its] slur on the navy yard police”, all of which “somewhat vitiates the patriotic implications which they have tried to emphasize in the film. A film about the World War 2, sabotage is rightly conforming to its definition as Fry, the true perpetrator of the crime, the true sabotage runs away to have shifted the blame onto Barry Kanes. Barry Kanes becomes a fugitive, running from place to place as he vows to discover where Fry is taking refuge. The film ends with the momentous imagery of Fry falling of the majestic Statue of Liberty and Kanes restored to innocence. The film was a remarkable concept put together by the autonomous and sovereign ruler of suspense i.e. Alfred Hitchcock. Each line, each dialougue was layered in doubles and triples of convoluted messages. The film is a thriller, a suspense and a true spirited film covering the events of World War 2. Beenish Mahmood November 28 - December 04, 2010 I 45
Film
‘Peepli Live’ -
F
A grotesque comedy!
ilmed at the South Asian Media Association (SAFMA), ‘Peepli Live’, an Aamir Khan Production is a 2010 Indian comic satire, that is based on the “farmers’ suicide issue” and the response it evoked from the political circles as well as media. It is based on the exploitation of the poverty stricken population of the country by those in power. Peepli is the name of a village in India. ‘Peepli’ is about the developing countries whose economy is dependent 46 I November 28 - December 04, 2010
upon agriculture. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy’s sustenance. It is a film about farmers’ suicide, a film that looks into the corruption inherent in the authorities that play with the lives of the innocent and the poor. ‘Peepli’ uncovers how a farmer is forced to commit suicide in return for a very little (little for us but immense for the farmer’s family) compensation that is given to support the family. The cost of the life of a human being is being measured in monetary terms! It is a cruel and barbaric act! The point that is made in the film is
that it is the public that needs to take a moral stand. It is the people who need to become the voice of the nation and who must fight for the rights of mankind and take action against injustice and corruption. Integrated are songs with catchy music and funny lyrics that act as a parody on the government and provide a lot of entertainment. The film touches on this grave issue in a manner of hilarity yet manages to depict the seriousness in such a way that the message comes across clear and stark. Beenish Mahmood
Glamstock
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These bracelets are availabvle at Damiya Jewellers, Ferozepur Road, Lahore November 28 - December 04, 2010 I 47
November 28 - December 04, 2010
THE ZODIAC AND EASTERN TAROT By Mariam Aftab AFTAB/CAPRICORN
WISAAL/TAURUS
The ambition card Dec 22 - Jan 21
The physical change card Apr21 - May21
This will be a frustrating and fearful week for you, especially at work. Find a way to work alone and listen to your inner voice. Your coworkers will tie you down with an inability to make decisions or commit to projects and ideas for which you are responsible. Alone, you will be able to utilise your skills at bold steps, changing traditionally held ideas as well as a focus on fairness. You may fear to take the bold steps you are capable of, but it’s to your advantage to make the moves.
DUA/AQUARIUS The self-card Jan 21 - Feb 19 Your spread indicates that expressing your individuality is always important to you, and this will be especially true now. You are ready to make a new beginning this time. Socialising is a plus, but one friend may be moody. Be careful while discussing important family matters. You will feel tired due to overwork; rest is very necessary for your health. You can achieve great success by expanding your sphere of interests. You will meet with chances of advancement. You should avoid failing to win the cooperation of others.
JAL/PISCES The sensitivity card Feb 20 - Mar 20 In the next couple of days, you should be enjoying your time with your old friends. Some expanding career opportunities could make this an interesting week for you. People should be willing to support your efforts. Focus your energies on doing what’s right and try not to let your ambitions get too far ahead of you. You are bound to have a taste for adventure and will really want to expand your horizons in some way. Follow your intuition because this is the key of the week.
FIZA/ARIES The aura card Mar 21 - Apr 20
Your spread shows that you need to go out and socialise with people at high places. You will be in a position of responsibilities and make important decisions. You will see the fruit of your labour in the form of financial reward. Family will be of great help and support. You will please a close relative if you show your affection. New ventures, plans and projects will boost your confidence. Change of place or a job will bring long-term gains. Evenings with friends will be exciting. Avoid looking for quick results. 48 I November 28 - December 04, 2010
Your spread shows that your boss is agreeable and very generous to you. You can ask for your promotion or increase in salary. Your lover/partner will be more understanding. Personal relationships are satisfactory in the spread. New deal after two or three days will bring good dividends. Situation is very tricky for businessmen. You should discuss with a senior person before signing legal documents because your spread indicates confusion in this regard. Re-consideration is the key of the week.
ASHIQ/GEMINI The love card May 22 - Jun 21
Your spread indicates that it’s time for you to be conservative, not that you find that too hard to be. You’ll find comfort in this and avoid fights. Try to explain to others why being conservative and stubborn is healthy in your present work. Don’t start any new projects until you have finished the others. Think of some ideas and start by making small changes. This week relationships with your parents, your boss, or your subordinates tend to be confused. Show loyalty where it is due however.
IRTIQA/CANCER The growth card Jun 22 - Jul 23 Your spread indicates that giving donations, charity and helping those at need will bring mental peace and satisfaction. Your creativity will bring you appreciation and rewards. You will receive important invitations from unexpected sources. Be careful and put your things in the right place otherwise you will lose them. Pressure at work and home might make you short-tempered but after two days things will get back to normal. Low-fat food is recommended. Stone of the week is Emerald.
QUWAT/LEO The strength card Jul 24 - Aug 23
Your spread shows that you will find friends supportive, but be careful of what you say. You will have some spare time this week for socialising and building new relationships and contacts. You will be extremely creative, and in a romantic mood, but work pressure will change your mood. Your ability to charm others will make you popular. Many new investment opportunities will come your way but you need to plan in advance to take advantage.
Tel: +92 (42) 35751231, 35710452 Websites: www.mariamhealingcenter.com, www.innerstrengthhome.org
THEHRAO/VIRGO The patience card Aug 24 - Sep 23
You should be focused on achieving as much as you possibly can. You will probably be eager to do whatever you can to prove yourself and bolster your reputation right now. Now is the time to make a good impression because it could really end up paying off in the long run. Money position will improve but your health might cause some concern. Light exercise, like jumping, running or cycling, will give you extra energy to achieve fitness and personal pleasure goals.
Celebrity Couples & Compatibility Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale
SAHIR/LIBRA The magician card Sep 24 - Oct 23
This week you will receive gifts and rewards from friends. Sports persons will participate in competitions and emerge winners. Your ability to give your viewpoints in a lucid manner will win you appreciation from your friends. Plan out your projects well to reap profits. Relations with superiors will improve as you keep to your commitment and show favourable results. This week is good to seek legal advice. Colour of the week is White.
INTISHAR/SCORPIO The confusion card Oct 24 - Nov 22
This week will be happy for you, with your cherished traditions bringing you the stability you crave. Beware of travel, however, as it could be very frustrating for you and people drive you crazy with their weirdness and you struggle for the strength to continue. Work to repair your ego and you can deal with it all. Prosperity is directing your natural optimism and goodwill to some area where you want to expand and grow. The source of energy is your desire to gain insight into the underlying feelings and motives of others.
Gwen Stefani October 3, 1969 Anaheim, California Birth time: unknown Sun Sign: Libra Moon Sign: Cancer Gavin Rossdale October 30, 1967 London, England Birth time: unknown Sun Sign: Scorpio Moon Sign: Virgo or Libra Although both birth times are unknown, we can be sure that Gwen is a Moon sign Cancer. Gavin’s Moon sign is dependent on knowing his birth time. A Virgo Moon for him would be helpful to Gwen’s Moon. A Libra Moon would be good for Gwen’s Sun but in discord with her Moon. Either case is not likely to help the couple as they have few connections and those too stressful. In their charts, Saturn (the task master or karma) is heavily featured, with an opposition to both the Sun and Venus.
KISMET/SAGITTARIUS The luck card Nov 23 - Dec 21
Your spread shows that you may feel added responsibilities in your domestic and family life. Avoid trying to dominate family situations. It’s a good time to make long-term domestic goals with a view to your career and finances. Consult your family doctor because you may suffer throat and chest problems at the end of this week. You will achieve better mental discipline. Delay in some important tasks may confuse you in the mid-week. Smile is the key of the week.
Ask the Expert: Mariam Aftab is a renowned healer offering self-help courses and counselling services. Readers can send in their questions regarding any problems at mariamhealingcenter@gmail.com
Q: My name is Nadia Usman and my date of birth is October 11, 1974. Can you recommend a stone for extreme power and luck? A: Recommended stones are sapphire and jade. Mariam
Aftab
November 28 - December 04, 2010 I 49
Dear AA, I am a 30-year-old woman caged inside my home. I have done my graduation and my parents didn’t allow me to study further. Nowadays they are not even looking for a suitable spouse for me. I am in distress. I am the only one left in my house who is unmarried. All of my friends are married and I have become a laughing stock for them. People around me give taunting looks as if it’s my fault. Tell me what to do. Distressed Dear Distressed, Not being married at the age of thirty has undoubtedly become taboo in our society, but on the other hand it is also true that it’s not the end of this world. There is much more in life to do than waiting to get married. Your problem is that you don’t have anything to do, and as we all know that an idle mind is a devil’s workshop, you feel as if you have become a laughing stock for others. Indulge yourself in something productive. If you are not allowed to study further, there are still many more things you can do at home. Look around and you will be able to find some productive activity for yourself. You can also take this time as a blessing and work towards strengthening your relationship with God and your family. Dear AA, I want to work in professional theatre. I have potential to act really well on stage. The problem is that my parents are not allowing me to do it. Modern theatre is not at all bad but they don’t see it my way and are forcing me to forget what I feel passionate about. Please suggest a way so that I can convince them to allow me to join. Passionate
50 I November 28 - December 04, 2010
Dear Passionate, In order to make your passion your profession, you really need to prove yourself. If we look at history, we see that all successful people have worked really hard in order to follow their dreams. Unique things require approval, and take time. Listen to what your family wants from you and work towards finding a middle way where you can act according to their desires, as well as do theatre. Dear AA, I got married a year ago. My parents are quite liberal, but I am having problems with my husband as he is really conservative. He never allows me to drive or go out of my house. He is suspicious about my character. He doesn’t trust me and can’t understand my feelings. I am living a miserable life. I have no way out except for suicide. I don’t want this sort of life. Please suggest a way out. Fed up Dear Fed up, Marriage is a very delicate relationship that grows with the passage of time. It requires a lot of patience and understanding. Its basis should be trust and honesty, which seem to be lacking in your relationship with your husband. No matter how conservative he is, you can win his heart with lots of love and trust. It’s all about give and take, so gain your husband’s trust with love, care and understanding.