Few days back, music director Aadesh Shrivastava lambasted Adnan Sami in front of everybody at singer Richa Sharma’s birthday party held at BJN Banquets, Mumbai.

He insulted him calling him a non-singer and claiming he had no right to be in the Indian music industry. While we thought that matter was closed that night itself, the whole thing is now taking a very serious turn what with Aadesh hell bent on kicking Adnan Sami out of India.About the recent turn of events, Aadesh states, “I am the Vice President of the Cine Music Director’s Association and a man of strong principles. Adnan has utter disrespect for Indian laws and regulations. If he wants to give music to Indian films he should respect the laws of our country. He has no right to work in India.

“People like him who come from Pakistan are ready to work here even at peanut rates because they get a global platform. But do you ever see them lauding our nation and its people for that who give them this opportunity at the first place? Do they buy any properties here? They send the entire money back to their country. Also, if he is so desperate to work in India then why doesn’t he posses the required legal documents.

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FROM THE VERY beginning, Mehreen was different from the usual crowd of young directors of the private productions. It’s my assessment, which could be wrong, that she was inspired by the Indian art cinema of the Eighties. The reason I am saying this is that she did not treat subjects that were usually dealt in the PTV Longplays of the Eighties. Her plays also did not have the typical philosophical content of the MNH or Yawar Hayat drama. Nor did she ape Hasina Moin and Fatima Suraiyya, which was the trend then. Her woman was not from the cushy atmosphere of the middleclass, who was seen so often in the serials of the above-mentioned writers. In fact, she was more the woman of the stage plays of Tehreek-e-Niswan, or Dastak, or so many such street plays of India’s greatest martyr of theatre, Safdar Hashmi. But, her main goal, if you have seen her TV plays, obviously looked the art cinema. And with the release, and immense appreciation of her first movie, Ramchand Pakistani, she has proven herself as a director, who has not just tackled a burning topic of the new Global World, but has also impressed with her cinematic sensibility, the lack of which has gobbled up many a famous director in the past!

It’s no mean achievement for a TV director to present a successful, as well as a theme-wise and treatment-wise powerful film on the Pakistani screen. This is a first for Mehreen, because none of the superstar names of PTV and private productions could do either, in so many years. For a young film director, Mehreen has definitely become an icon. Having been her strongest critic in the past in the context of some aspects of her work, I still feel that continuous struggle, and an indomitable spirit, aside from some major cinematic courses, has made Mehreen see things in, what the technical people call the Master Shot. She has come to view things on an overall basis. The moment you realize that after two lengthy scenes, the drama could drag, and may not recover till the end, you are blessed with an overall view. If you end all shots on climactic lines, then your climax may never be a climax, which is what is happening to the most Indian soaps these days. Mehreen has conquered all these aspects at a relatively young age. You can see that in simple scenes, for instance the scene, where Ramchand is brought before Maria Wasti, the jail warden, and she questions him regarding his Dalit identity. It’s a poignant scene, and one which sets the mood for the coming scenes.

Rashid Qureishi has shown in Ramchand Pakistani that he has surely come of age as an actor. His gestures have reached that scale, where an actor forgets himself, and becomes the character. Nandita is, already, a superb actress, and I truly feel that she hasn’t been given her status in the Indian cinema, yet. Here, she delivers the goods, as a Thar woman, whose life becomes a terrible struggle. Shafqat Amanat’s song, Phir wohi rastey is the highlight of the film.

In the end, I read a review by some Indian critic somewhere that he feels the heroine has been given too many gaudy clothes, and that a sad, forlorn woman would not be decked up in such finery. I think either the chap hadn’t been to his own side of Rajisthan, or doesn’t know the traditions of the Thar women. These clothes are their identification, and emotions have nothing to do with them.

We first saw the ebullient Ayesha Sana quite a few years back on the national telly. Having started out her career as an actor, she made a transition to being a host and that too a successful one! Soon she was lapped up by PTV World to host their morning women-based-show Mina Bazaar which was a hit with the fairer sex.

In between Ayesha worked, for brief spells, in various drama serials. Currently she is based in Lahore busy anchoring live shows for various organisations¦ while acting continues simultaneously.

Known to be immaculately dressed and a well groomed lady, we check out her style preferences.

What’s your style code?
It™s definitely classic!

What do you wear on off-days?
Probably my night suit “ pajamas and some hopeless (read comfy) shirt.

Who’s your style inspiration?
I admire a lot of people for their sense of style. I am inspired by anyone who wears classic and elegant clothes.

What’s your formal going-out look?
Some elegant outfit in striking shades.

What’s your fave hair style?
Something very classic¦ I like hair with a lot of body and volume¦ something like Shilpa Shetty™s¦

Are you high maintenance?
Yes, I am.

What’s your one beauty/style essential?
It would be my watch and bag.

Do you have a signature scent?
There are quite a few I like¦ I prefer strong fragrances.

How do you keep your body buff?
I really need to workout but I have never followed a health or a beauty regime though I™m always planning to.

Any style blunders you want to reveal?
There must have been a million down the road but now I try to keep them minimum.

What’s the most expensive item in your wardrobe?
A few outfits by our local designers.

Which item from your wardrobe do you love the most?
It would be my black and white ensembles.

Fizza Ali, a popular name in fashion, television and TVCs has been working since many years now .Recently this Karachi based model has moved to Lahore and has been working in the cultural capital. She is tall and stylish and also very good on the ramp. She is mostly seen in all the main local and international shows directed by Sohail Malik.

What is on your mind?
There is always one thing in my mind, that I want to live my life happily forever.

if you had to make an apology, what would it be for and to whom?
It would be for my mother, as I was so busy in my work that I could not give her time as much as she required.

Wheres the best place to be?
In Allahs house.

What scares you the most?
Darkness and lonliness.

What keeps you sailing in a crisis?
My namaaz.

Which item from your wardrobe do you love the most?
My kurties.

When was the last time you felt utterly insignificant?
The day when I felt I had become fat and my clothes did not fit me.

Which song truly means something to you?
I m alive (Celion Dion).

Whats your favorite fashion purchase?
My Gucci hand bags.

Which fashion icon would you relate closely to your style?
Shusmita Sen.

What is the best thing about being famous?
You get respect and get invited to a lot of parties.

Which was your most memorable day?
When I met my husband, Fawad Farooque.

The best compliment that youve received?
You look un-resistable.

When did you last laugh till you cried?
When my sister Erum fell in the swimming pool wearing her party clothes.

What is the cutest thing about you?
My smile.

What do you find truly tasteless?
Roti.

Who are the most significant people in your life?
My husband.

If you have to describe yourself in one word what that it would be?
Hot.

Who to you is the best-looking man on earth?
My father-in-law.

The proudest professional moment in your career?
When Im on the modeling ramp.

What is your greatest personal achievement?
When I was nominated best actress on PTV.

What do you wish someone had told you earlier in life?
I wish I knew at an earlier stage that my mother had cancer.

What is your diet fad?
Drink milk and eat vegetables.

When you look in the mirror what do you see?
I see my mother.

Your most prized possession?
My husband Fawad.

What healthy habit you are glad you have?
Drinking water.

What is your idea of a perfect day?
My prayers and yoga.

What is your greatest personal achievement?
When I fell in love.

Friendship to you is?
Forever.

How does your work dictate your lifestyle?
It makes me more professional and punctual.

Our Lollywood actors have unmatched talent. Sadly our media is not strong enough to cover it up properly. Adnan Siddiqui is one of the privileged actors to have worked with Angelina Jolie in A Mighty Heart along with Sajid Hasan and Irfan Khan. A Mighty Heart was based on the true life story of Daniel Pearl who got murdered in Pakistan. Adnan played an integral role in the movie.

Jack of two trades, and master of both! - this is what comes to mind when one thinks of multi talented singer and actor Fawad Khan. Best of all, Fawad is as down to earth as they get. Fame and fortune haven’t been able to get the better of him and he doesn’t intend on letting them either! Within the film and music industry, he’s known as one of the nicest people to work with and extremely hard working. Conducting the following fun interview was a great insight into Fawad’s world. Read on and you’ll understand why.

What, in your opinion is different in the Fawad Khan of EP and the Fawad Khan who is a movie star?
Nothing really, I guess. That question would be better answered if and when I do a couple more movies - which I do intend to - of the same caliber. Other than that, I think it has added to my experience. I have been very lucky in being able to work with the best of the best of the industry in whatever I’ve done uptil now. So basically I’ve done a little in everything that comes under the media bracket of Pakistan now.

Tell us a little bit about how you landed the role?
Well, a friend of mine, Bilal Lashari, was assisting Shoaib Mansoor (and is a very talented up and coming director in our industry) at the time the casting was being finalized. They had everything finalized but for some odd reason I think they just wanted to check out more options. So I met Mr. Shoaib at his office and I guess my being a little overweight made me unsuitable for the consideration of the role. After a couple of months, when Ali Zafar backed out, I got another call from them and they asked me to come down again. By then I had lost quite a bit of weight and they thought it would work out fine so things just took off from there.

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Jamal Shah, a professor of Fine Arts in a University at Quetta, started his acting career from Quetta TV Station. He was married to Feryal Gohar Shah (and are now separated?).
Jamal appeared as the lead role (with Talat Hussain) in British TV’s English play “Traffic.” When not acting or educating, Jamal Shah arranges exhibitions of his paintings.

Jamal was also part of Madiha Gohar’s team that has a mission to educate the poor masses in Pakistan through plays. So they do English stage plays (I wonder what’s the English literacy rate in their poor audience).
• Popular Show :
• Parossi
• Tappish.

Reference: http://pakistaniat.com/

It is not often that one dares to place a headline as bold as the one above. We have used such superlatives a few times before, but very few: for the dialogues from Maula Jatt, for the blockbuster movie Aina, twice for the PTV show Fifty-Fifty, once for the show and once for its skits (both times with question marks), and once for the miracle cricket match in Sharjah and Miandad’s fabulous sixer to clinch the game on the last ball. Today, we use it again.

Khalid Abbas DarThis is certainly not the best work of Khalid Abbas Dar - for my money, the most brilliant stand-up comic Pakistan has ever produced (I was never a fan of his stage dramas, but his solo routines, especially the old PTV ones were a superb - but it may well be the funniest hockey commentary ever, anywhere. Khalid sahib’s all-time greatest performance is the “classical” singing he does with made up words - it is side-splitting funny - originally recorded during the 1971 election transmission and recorded multiple times later.

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Asad, an actor who is been known for portraying negative, angry young men roles is always out of the media for unknown reasons. For about a decade in the showbiz now, but he is still unknown to many.I love guns and shooting. Whenever I am free I do shooting. I have a complete shooting range on the rooftop of my house.

I am extremely straight forward and frank. I can’t bear wrong things and lies. I can’t bare those people who like to be extra smart. I don’t deceive any one and don’t pretend.
I never plan my future, when ever I will be free, I will make a play, I would try my hand in direction but only if I think that I will be technically sound, I would like to make less mistakes.