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Music
Komal Rizvi
an inspiration for Sufi music
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akistani singing sensation, Komal Rizvi, rose to fame at a very early age. It is, therefore, not surprisingly at all that she is now known as one of Pakistan’s best Sufi singers at such a young age. Her youthful, unique and glamorous approach to Sufi music sets her apart from the other giants in the industry and she is certainly not afraid to experiment with her art. Humble
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and self-effacing, this powerhouse can belt out notes twice her age, but stresses that she is still evolving. For a young woman who brought Sufi Pop/Rock to the popular Pakistani music scene, she is possibly one of the most electrifying live performers in the country today. Her presence, showmanship, obvious mastery and edgy style can bring an audience to its feet in mere minutes. A testament to her versatility is her appearance on immensely popular Coke Studio
Season 4, where her songs still hold No.2 and No.3 positions digitally. Despite her early success she has shown no signs of slowing down. In fact, she has been busy travelling back and forth from India to record and launch her new album under the label Saregama HMV. As anyone who is aware of the South Asian music scene would know, scoring a record deal famed HMV is indeed a huge honour. As a Pakistani artist it is further proof of the talent
and value of Komal’s music in India’s industry that such a big record label would produce her album. The album ‘Jholay Laal’ will have 3 new songs and one new video along with a collection of her previous singles. Rest on her laurels she has, in the meanwhile, been busy recording p l ay b a c k songs with Big Banner Films set to release in 2013. She also had a special
appearance in ‘Jhalak Dikla Ja’ as a singing star for The Dancing Stars. Further music to look forward is, the soundtrack for the top drama serial Madhubala for Colors TV with music director, Shaleen. Despite being offered numerous film roles over the years, Komal has chosen to concentrate on her music and refused such attempts on the basis of being a bit too bold. Whether there is an actor’s soul hidden within her remains to be seen, but she has proven undoubtedly to be one of our top female vocalists in the country. Lounge has recently talked to this sufi artist and asked her different questions regarding her journey in this music industry and about her new album. Q: How did you begin your career and how much effort did you put in to become the star that you have become? A: I started my career when I was very young without planning anything like that at all. I was offered
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to sing by Ghazanfar Ali Shah while singing at a family gathering and that was the chance of a life time. When I realised that this was just the career I wanted, I put in all the effort which made me the person I am today.
of the CS team. Rohail Hayat is an awesome person and I love and respect him a lot. He truly is the man who ushered in tomorrow in Music.
Q: What was your family’s reaction when you first chose to do a music video and then act? A: My family has a lot of professional doctors and bankers, not singers. So it came as a kind of shock to them, my mom especially didn’t take it very well. But when they realised that it was what I wanted, they let me have it my way.
Q: Was it a challenge or an enjoyable experience of singing Sufi classics for Coke Studio? A: Both were fun, and moderately easy to perform. Although a bit hard on the nerves because of the heavy reputation they carry along with the pressure to come up to expectation of Coke Studio fans. I thought of Lal meri Path, when Rohail suggested fusing a music piece with Daaanah Pah Daanah and I suggested Lumbi Judai as one of the songs I wanted to do. So it was my choice and I had to make up to it.
Q: Why did you choose Chahiye to make your come back to music industry? A: Chahiye was the perfect glamour song that gave just the message to viewers that I wanted to convey, my music is just as much about fun, glamour and easy to listen numbers as it is about serious melodies and Sufi depth. Q: How did you find the experience of working at Coke Studio? A: Coke Studio is such an reputable international platform, that any artist should be honoured to have a chance of performing at. I am truly very honoured to have been a part
Q: Tell us about your new album and the numbers it has? A: It’s a collection of songs that I have done newly, produced by Saregama and also done and
released previously in Pakistan. While they vary in style just like the shades many shades that I have, the general trend leans more towards Sufi-fusion, something that I connect with most easily as an artist. Q: How would you describe your new music video? A: I have written the sincerely felt melody myself and it depicts my will to close the chapters on everything negative and sad in my life. In the song I am praying to the Almighty with Laal Shahbaz Qalandar by my side, making a heart felt request to begin my journey anew. Q: How do you decide which acting and hosting projects to take up? A: Something is offered and it clicks, so I take the project and go with the flow. I like a change after some time and that is what makes me take up such projects, other than my first love that is music.
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Across Border Trends
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hen the name of Shirin Hassan came in mind, women of Pakistan expects something outstanding and mesmerizing from her, recently she has unveiled her block print silk collection at Pakistan Fashion week London, which was ranked boldly idealistic and unique in its creation, the outfits are liked and following by thousands of women in London. Now a days competition of bringing the designer wear for women of Pakistan is very tough. But Shirin Hassan a Pakistan fashion designer has not only made a captivating silk block print designs for women of Pakistan but now will entice the indian women also. Recently Shirin Hassan launched her brand store across-border in Amritsar, India, This is going to be a successful entry in year 2012, in her collection you will ind many classy designs whose inspiration are taken from different countries traditional and cultural ideology. Locally Shirin Hassan has done numerous exhibitions in Pakistan over the last few years, namely in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. Her upcoming projects include PFDC fashion week in Pakistan.
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Glamstock
Designer’s Den By Marium Ali
“S
trawberries, cherries and an angel’s kiss in spring; My summer wine is really made from all these things” is a song by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood that comes immediately to mind when you enter the atelier of Sofia Naveed Lari – SNL Design Studio. There are boutiques and then there are boutiques. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, SNL is one designer’s den worthy of mention. To be in the soft, warm-welcoming New-Age-Oriental environs is an experience unique to SNL Design Studio itself. The liberal use of pink makes it a sweet and quaint place to be at. The choice of such a feminine hue says a lot about the ultra chic Sofia Naveed Lari. Pink it is indeed, “For people who are aware of our signature style know that this colour plays a pivotal role in my brand. Even my logo is in pink,” she reveals with a gentle smile. “While planning the interior of SNL Design Studio, I had in mind a fun ‘n’ feminine design studio rather than a stark, minimilistic one that gives off an impersonal vibe.” Situated in a quiet corner of Zamzama Lane 2, SNL Design Studio leaves an everlasting impression on all those who visit it. This is Sofia Naveed Lari’s creative expression. It clearly shows that Sofia knows well about colours and style, a fact reiterated by the fact that she had hired no interior designer to do the job. A sure way of instilling trust in her clients that she is totally in command; a designer who knows the intricacies of the
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various genres of art. “Since we had a whole mezzanine floor to build SNL Design Studio on, we made partitions, erected walls, for the workshop and the entire workforce at the back while the Studio covers the front,” shares the composed Sofia as she remembers the development process of SNL studio. As you walk through the front door, you cannot help notice the classy teak coloured wooden flooring. Look towards the left and you will see some very unique clothes’ hangers/ racks crafted from polished sturdy bamboos rooted in a bed of pebbles of various sizes as a base – an extremely O r i e n t a l amalgam. There’s a pleasant sliver wallpaper with pink Damask right opposite to the clothes racks. Adjoining is the trying room with a
hot-pink heavy curtained entrance to it. One of the most striking features is a unique flower-wall
which catches your eye the minute you enter the Design Studio. “My flower wall” as Sofia joyfully calls it with a lingering smile. “All the flowers are hand made, that are designed and made with the type of fabrics that I use in my collections. You will find velvet, sequined, leather, banarsi fabric flowers of different shapes and sizes,” reveals the uber stylish Sofia. By looking at the decorative flowers, one can get an idea as to how much detailing this snazzy designer believes in… If her floral wall is flawless imagine her outfits! Impeccable! Sofia Naveed Lari of SNL does casuals, formals, pretty pret and highend haute couture. Her stylishly shimmering bridals are made on orders mostly. Her creations are talk of the town. She has been around only a couple of years but has already become one of the most sought-after designers. Known for her futuristic creations, she does a beautiful job of fusing tradition with contemporary. Not just pret, Sofia is also hailed for her offbeat, mesmerizing saris. SNL offers a variety of traditional, pretty embroidered colour coordinated saris for the fashionconscious elegant ladies and sari lovers! Be it a heavily worked bridal sari, a lightly adorned drape or a pretty printed number for formal evenings, SNL has a striking sari for every occasion. Tracing our steps back to the studio, Sofia’s workstation is a cosy corner, comprising a neat desk, computer and a sheaf of her paperwork, all neatly tucked away.
For her die-hard, loyal clients there are comfortable leatherette plush sink-in sofas to relax in while deciding between myriads of scintillating and stimulating designs with our fashionista – sofia! Sofia spends most of her time at her quaint studio, “It is indeed my second home so you are bound to see a reflection of all that I am in my
work space,” she declares. While in the background karigars (workers) are busy tailoring outfits, “the fabric, embellishments, design curves and silhouettes with trimmings are of course all supervised by me because it is only the best that comes out of the workroom of SNL Design Studio” adds the effervescent Sofia. A fashion designer is an artist too – where fabric is their canvas that translates each and every creative thought process of the artist
in the shape of an outfit. And when the result is striking, you know nirvana! Our artsist of the week – Sofia Naveed Lari – surely fits the bill. The stunning creations with beautiful floral add-ons, diamantes and embellishments bear testimony to the fact that a gem has been unveiled that is about to spill its rich colours all around in the form of SNL creations. After the launch of Design Studio in Zamzama Lane 2, Sofia also stocks her brand at the most happening multi-label stores Ellemint Pret and Brands Just Pret, Dolmen Mall, besides stocking at Labels Faisalabad, The Designers in Dubai and in Houston. T h e welcoming cosines and hospitality prepped with the dress appeal of brilliantly tailored outfits is nothing short of a treat. SNL Design Studio is a must-see, boasting must-haves in a girl’s wardrobe. So go on and enjoy your treat or feast your eyes. All the same you are bound to love it. ”I am now planning to launch my flagship store at a renowned location in Karachi. I have also garnered a considerable, loyal international clientele which has prompted me to stock at stores abroad too. That is something in the pipeline,” she concludes. We wish this talented designer the very best for all her future endeavours!
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Books
Of poetics and prose essays By Syed Afsar Sajid
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oetics would instantly remind us of Aristotle and his pioneering exercise in dramatic theory (c. 335 BCE) generally deemed as ‘the first extant philosophical treatise’ of its kind to dilate on literary theory. It may allude to the theory of poetry or ‘denote the concept of theory itself’. Naseer Turabi, an accomplished poet, intellectual and literary perfectionist besides being a scion of a family of eminent men of letters/religious scholars of the like of Allamah Rasheed Turabi, Prof. Dr. Mazhar Ali Khan, Allamah Aqeel Turabi, and Dr. Salman Turabi has lately come out with his version of the poetics in Urdu entitled Shairyaat. Dr. Sh. Muhammad Iqbal is a versatile genius having excelled in the fields of education, poetry, criticism, and social work and philanthropy. This scribe has keenly witnessed his rise to intellectual advancement ever-since he (the learned doctor) took up his postgraduate studies in English at the then Government College, Lyallpur (now GC University, Faisalabad) in mid-1960’s despite his fast deteriorating vision and its subsequent loss. Mujhay Hai Hukm-e-Azaan is a collection of
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his prefatorial/ editorial essays in Urdu from the monthly ‘Sufaid Chari’ (the white cane) that reflect the insightful maturity of his knowledge, vision and experience.
Shairyaat (Poetics)
Naseer Turabi’s instant work on poetics is of an illustrative character. It is primarily aimed to illustrate the definitive and non-definitive features of the art that poetry is. Prof. Sahar Ansari has attempted to ‘introduce’ the contents of the book to the reader by summarily mentioning Aristotle’s Poetics and then singularizing Turabi’s work as its corollary dwelling on the definition of poetry, its aesthetic adjuncts together with a smattering of allied terminology and citations. Turabi’s own ‘foreword’ tends to amplify his purpose underlying the thesis, that is, to revive the much sought after literary affinity, as it were, with prose and poetic creativity in the larger context of what he perceives as the lost heritage of our age-
long literary culture. Since poetry has its roots in aesthetics, its recital caters to, and also refines, our taste. It is a longing of the soul and the ‘food of love’. Noted literary scholar TVF Borgan has spoken of three major movements in Western poetics spread over some 3000 years viz.,
Turabi’s own ‘foreword’ tends to amplify his purpose underlying the thesis, that is, to revive the much sought after literary affinity, as it were, with prose and poetic creativity in the larger context of what he perceives as the lost heritage of our age-long literary culture
Turabi has expostulated his version of poetics in this book in a manner that bespeaks the enviable magnitude of his knowledge of literature, critical terminology, philology, and stylistic ingenuity the formalist tradition pioneered by Aristotle, the expressionistic penchant in the romantic tradition of poetry, and a return to the Aristotelian paradigm of ‘meta-criticality’ as manifested in a given theory of poetics. The evolution of Eastern poetics owes its genesis to the lyric rather than the mimetic characteristic of its Western counterpart. In general terms poetics implies the theory of literary forms and literary discourse. It may also implicate the theory of poetry. Turabi has expostulated his version of poetics in this book in a manner that bespeaks the enviable magnitude of his knowledge of literature, critical terminology, philology, and stylistic ingenuity. The chapters (17) of Shairyaat (Poetics) the book are aptly titled By Naseer Turabi in Urdu along-with their Publisher: Paramount Publishing Enterprise, Karachi, self-speaking English Lahore, substitutes, with a marked Islamabad, Faisalabad, Peshawar focus on their thematic Pages: 215; Price: Rs.345/content: Definitions, Prevailing Forms, Obsolete Forms, Vowel Sounds, Lexis (diction), Melos (melody), Punctuations, Correct Spelling(s), Pronunciation, and Opsis (spectacle) occurring in Masculine-Feminine, Singular- Aristotle’s Poetics dilating on the Plural, Opposites, Similar mimetic as against Turabi’s work Words, Prefix-Suffix, Common bearing on the lyric. To sum up, the work in view Error(s), Terminology in Vogue, Do’s and Don’ts, Synonymy and is a commendable exercise in Urdu Lexicons. It would help the interpretation, appreciation the thoughtful reader recall the and comprehension of poetry at somewhat remotely linked themes different levels – verbal, symbolic, of Mimesis (imitation), Catharsis and artistic, with few extant (purgation), Peripeteia (reversal), precedents in the Urdu language. Anagnorisis (recognition), Hamartia It will be useful to both the student (tragic flaw), Mythos (plot), Ethos as well as the enthusiast of Urdu (character), Dianoia (theme), poetry.
Mujhay Hai Hukm-eAzzaN An essay is ‘a loose sally of the mind’ as Lord Bacon would have us believe. However, over the passage of time, its plasticity as a literary genre has immensely enhanced its socio-cultural ramifications transforming it into an almanac of all kind of knowledge and wisdom. The book is purported to comprise the fifth collection the author’s editorial essays (34 in number) from the monthly ‘Sufaid Chari’, a quasi-literary journal seeking to discuss some vital issues, in a wider contemporaneous perspective, that relate to literature, humanism, sociology, ethics, economics, politics, psychology et al. Khawaja Muhammad Zakariya and Zahida Siddiqui have contributed introductory remarks to the magazine; the latter has analyzed the author’s style, approach and views at some length. His (the author’s) semi-aphoristic style sans allusions serves to arouse the reader’s interest in the content of a given piece, albeit his innate didactic proclivity. The captions of the editorials, generally bearing an implicit tilt toward optimism, appear to have been derived mostly from popular verses meant to attract and engage the attention of the reader. Verily, it is a fairly readable stuff in the backdrop of the current sociocultural scenario – both topical and universal.
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Films
TALAASH
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owards the middle of Reema Kagti’s highly anticipated Talaash, an emotionally and physically exhausted Surjan Singh Shekhawat (Aamir Khan) lies down on a bed in a seedy hotel. Next to him is a gorgeous hooker -- Rosie (Kareena Kapoor. They had met early in the film. They are attracted to each other, but Shekhawat is a married man, although his marriage is going through a turbulent period. As Shekhawat closes his eyes, Rosie gently strokes his forehead and his hair, until he falls asleep. It is a tender moment -- rare for a Bollywood film, where love and caring is never expressed in such a mature, yet delicate manner. Much of Kagti’s Talaash, which she co-wrote with Zoya Akhtar (it is the second writing credit they share after last year’s Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara) is mature in the way it handles its adult characters -- conflicted, troubled souls who are searching for ways to get over their personal and professional turmoil. On the surface Shekhawat is searching for answers to a puzzling car accident that resulted in the death of a movie star. As he gets a few clues, his investigation leads him inside the underbelly of Mumbai [ Images ], the seedy world of hookers -- high class and otherwise, their pimps and the scavengers (a terrific Nawazuddin Siddiqui). But Shekhawat has a deeper personal issue that weighs on him. He and his wife (a luminous Rani Mukherjee , giving one of her career’s best performances) are mourning the accidental death of their young son. The tragedy and the fact that the two do not talk about their loss, is slowly creating a rift in their marriage. Shekhawat also carries this personal trauma to work. His life
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is surely hellish, except when he gets a chance for some tender moments with Rosie, who becomes his confidante and a much needed therapist. In Talaash, Kagti weaves a complex web, and she colours it with the mood and the atmosphere she and her collaborators c r e a t e . Talaash has the feel of a noir film -- a fine achievement for a Bollywood product, where the crisp cinematography by K U Mohanan (his credits include Ashim Ahluwalia’s Miss Lovely, a dark exploration of the world of Bombay’s C-grade films) and the haunting background score by Ram Sampath keeps us on the edge. And then there are the terrific songs composed by Sampath -- the sexy jazz number Muskaanein jhooti hain (sung by Suma Sridhar), Vishal Dadlani’s anthem Jee le zaraa, and especially my favorite Jiya laage naa, the lyrical duet by Sona Mohapatra and Ravindra Upadhyay. Talaash is not a Hollywood style edge-of-the-seat thriller, but there is enough in the film to make us feel uneasy. At all times we feel the pain of our protagonists and sense a certain danger that lurks around them. There is the look, the knock on the door, the empty staircases, things that we see, but cannot explain, neon-lit signs of Mumbai’s seedy bars and hotels, and the night shots of the city’s empty streets. Talaash makes Mumbai look like a moll -- dirty, used, but also
thrilling and enticing. Towards the end of the film, there is a big revelation. Obviously I am not going to spill the beans here. But at this point Kagti and Akhtar’s script starts to falter. In anticipating that this revelation may confuse some sections of the audience, the film then starts to explain more than we need to be told, giving us hints, underlying situations. Despite that one big flaw, Talaash satisfied me. But I wanted more. I wish Siddiqui had a bigger, meatier role. His character evolves brilliantly, getting engaged within the film’s complex puzzle and he holds himself well against a cast of glamorous Bollywood stars. I wish Aamir Khan would trust his instincts when it comes to acting. The star makes all the right decisions with the projects he undertakes. But then why does he sometimes hesitate in his performances? Khan is mostly believable in Talaash, a broken man, carrying the weight of the narrative on his shoulders. But then in a few scenes it appears as if he is thinking too much, showing signs that he is aware he is acting. In those few scenes Khan’s performance is distracting.
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