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When a 24-year-old, who professes to “singing a bit” cuts the coveted Coke Studio — Pakistan’s music chartbuster — teeth with 6.5 million views in just a few hours of the release of Afreen (remake of Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s famous number) alongside the current numero uno Rahat Fateh Ali Khan under the banner of Coke Studio Season 9, you can’t but sit up and take notice. Meet the new sensation with a naturally soulful voice: Momina Mustehsan. She would ideally be headed for resurgence two years after the release of her Bollywood debut single Awari in Ek Villain.   The most noticeable thing about Momina — apart from her presence — is that nearly everywhere she goes, she turns up more or less unattended, trailed all by herself. She doesn’t employ a manager or even a publicist. Momina has an explanation for this. “I don’t think releasing number of albums defines a musician. I do music for myself and not for the masses. I’m not into the idea of being a celebrity or having people know or follow me. Actually, when Afreen came out and I was the only person trending on twitter for four days in Pakistan, it freaked me out. I’m a very private person. Experience, I don’t think is only limited to the product released,” Momina tells Community in an exclusive interview at a reputed coffee joint in Pakistan’s picturesque capital Islamabad. Although settled in New York but keeping up with traditional Pakistani wear in a serene green kurti and sipping cold coffee, Momina is keeping her fingers crossed about making it big in the Pakistani music industry with Coke Studio. Her last song released was Awari for Sidharth Malhotra and Shraddha Kapoor’s Bollywood starrer Ek Villain in 2014, but who knew Afreen would foment her as the new sensation of the Pakistani music industry. Despite the brassy work that speaks for Momina herself, some critics called hers an unfair hype for not contributing to the actual tenor of the song but just appearing in the video with few lines in pocket. To this, Momina responds calmly: “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I did notice many people talked about my smile, but honestly I didn’t even realise I was smiling during the shoot. I was extremely nervous because I had never rehearsed and had never heard the song before — I mean the new track, the way it was.” Being the youngest lead singer to have performed three songs in Coke Studio Pakistan this season, Momina surprised herself with the nuances — otherwise a unique distinction in the industry. “I’m honoured being the only female lead to do three songs at the Coke Studio — something, I didn’t really expect doing,” she says. Ever since Momina’s phone just doesn’t stop ringing. Asked to compare the Pakistani music industry with its Indian counterpart, a philosophical Momina said while she admired Bollywood, “I would definitely say Coke Studio is right up there because Indian music industry is just all about Bollywood. It’s mostly commercial music and they do a good job of it. In Pakistan however, the uniqueness is that everything is not very commercial. At Coke Studio, we experiment with the music and explore different genres with a lot of fusions.” Despite Pakistani musicians and actors making their mark in Bollywood over time, there appears to be no real initiative for joint ventures, especially with different genres of music on both sides of the border. Asked why, Momina puts it down to politics holding back such explorations. “I think majorly, it’s to do with politics. We have been in such an environment for so long that when a Pakistani goes and works in Bollywood or vice versa people seem to get offended,” the starlet opines. However she adds, “There is collaboration on some level depending upon the platform you’re talking about because in India, it’s all about Bollywood and, in Pakistan, we don’t have much to offer, Bollywood-like.” Sometimes a single performance sets the standards and all subsequent performances pale in comparison no matter how hard one tries. Asked if she’ll be able to outdo Afreen, Momina avows that her best is yet to come. “I wasn’t even supposed to do that song. I found out about it just a few days before it was to be shot and the other two main songs that I did are definitely different. The song I did with Shujja Haider might outdo Afreen. I personally enjoyed singing it. But it depends if it will get the same media attention because with Afreen there were a lot of different elements that made it a success,” explains Momina, adding, “First it was Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Sahab’s song and it was already a huge hit; then, it was Rahat Fateh Ali Khan rendering the number, and the arrangement for the last was really nice. I only sang literally, six lines in it. So my contribution wasn’t much, but as far as my work goes, I do have much better to offer.”   It won’t be erroneous to say Momina has inherited the ingenuity of vocals which comes naturally to her from her mother, who indeed has a melodic voice. Momina credits her success to both her parents. She also hopes to bring about a change in the perception that the female of the species rarely make it good in the industry. “Yes, you don’t have many female musicians around. I have done a Bollywood song before and it’s not that I haven’t got offers before, it’s just that I don’t want to pursue music as a career. For me, it was hard to make a decision since I had no references. Maybe after me, people would come out to show their talent,” enthuses Momina. Momina is planning to move back to New York, away from stardom soon whilst initiating an education programme for children in rural Pakistan along with a polio campaign. “I plan introducing distant education plans for children in rural areas where there are no schools or a learning environment. We’ll introduce learning videos which, along with projectors, would be provided to the mosques in different areas to enable children to learn. From making rotis to learning physics, they’ll get it all,” she says, with profound intonation. In conclusion, Momina thanked all her fans for their love and support. “I would like to thank you all for being extremely supportive since the time of (her single) Pee Jaun and now, Coke Studio. Please keep backing us and let’s make this world a better place! For Pakistanis living abroad, I know you miss home — so stay tuned to Coke Studio this season and regale in the fond memories of your homeland.”

The recently held Lux Style Awards 2016 in Karachi, Pakistan could not live up to its puffery. But it still marked an occasion where Pakistan is heading to grasp the importance of stardust all too well and is happy to put out there, spending millions and planting itself on the cultural map of the world quite successfully. It won’t be erroneous to profess the awards as a source of recognition to all those who push themselves all year round, even as ascetics will say they do not mean much. Perhaps, this is why the awards are never considered a paradigm to success. Meanwhile where the jury was out, the judges were in and politics was indeed a surging sea undergoing stormy weather. The Lux Style Awards (LSA) collaborated with Frieha Altaf’s Catwalk for production, Nabila for Makeup and Farishteh Aslam of Talking Point for PR; Wall’s ice-cream brand Magnum was also involve, since you cannot put up grand shows without a sponsor. Things are happening in the Pakistan Entertainment and Fashion industry — but when you look at the rest of the world, it’s moving at a snail space. Still, to aptly employ a cliché, we’ve seen LSA grow from a hatchling to a swan. Let’s face it — LSA was a tiny show when it started more than a decade back where there were no films to celebrate at all. Entertainment needs hoopla and LSA pulled that off successfully, although LSA has sustained unfathomable setbacks such as half the audience walking out midway through the show and gates remaining closed till 10:45pm (when the time on the invitation card was 6pm!). The Lux Style Awards 2016 was a finale of not so rehearsed performances. The LSA you see on television is not the LSA on ground. From Fawad Khan’s flawless act to Ali Zafar’s not-so-perfect hosting stint with constantly announcing wrong categories and presenters with several re-takes, and Yasir Hussain’s witty sense of humour along with power packed performances — it was nice to see all coming together though. Those catchy double meaning of some of the verses had the audience in splits! The major issue of Lux Style Awards was the inept PR, drooling passes to the crowds and crowds — not entertainment and fashion people but crowds — who pushed and misbehaved. Then there was the strenuous delay in the shows and above all Farishteh Aslam herself, who unnerves you by not responding to your calls or queries. Lux Style Awards has been a platform of acknowledging those who have been putting themselves out there throughout the year with a focus on fashion, style and television. There was a time when there were no Pakistani films at all — but the ecstasy of chimera film production these days is a matter of eminent celebration at the award shows. With film categories it was predictable enough for Moor and Bin Roye to dominate the night. The Best Singer Male and Female was presented to Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Abida Parveen, respectively for Bin Roye. The Best Film Director and Film of the Year award was taken away by Moor though. The Life Time Achievement Award was presented to the Late Amjad Sabri. Ali Zafar and Ali Sethi took the stage to deliver a powerful tribute to the Qawwali maestro, as Sabri’s son joined them on stage. Amjad Sabri left a mark on thousands of hearts, carrying a legacy of his late father Ghulam Farid Sabri and Uncle Maqbool Ahmed Sabri. Glitz and glamour is one of the centrepieces of LSA, but the Best Dressed Male Award went to one of the most dressed out star of the evening, Hamza Ali Abbasi, while the Best Emerging Talent award going to Alee Hassan Photographer was like a cherry on top. As far as I can remember, he’s the same photographer who did a shoot for L’Oreal makeup, reinventing the Disney princesses terribly. (Can you please reconsider this category?) And then for a mixed bag of entertainment — how dramatically Fawad Khan dropped Fauzia Aman’s award for the Best Model (Female) as a pun, and then how terrible it was to see a dwarf couple on stage as the butt of some ill-conceived joke. During a segment, Ayesha Khan was brought on stage with the announcement that her famously orphaned Mann Mayal character’s parents have been found. And in walked a little couple, as the punch line of that joke. Where the joke in that? Nabila bagged her 10th LUX Style Award — a tribute to the consistency and excellence with which she has developed the hair and makeup industry in Pakistan. It was a double triumph for Faraz Mannan who bagged Best Bridal and Best Lawn (After all Bebo — Kareena Kapoor Khan — is her brand ambassador!) while Abdullah Harris was the Best Photographer, who deserved much for putting out a dramatic and a boho feel to whatever he captures. The dwindling retail women’s wear brand Generation — started over three decades again by husband-wife duo Saad and Nosheen Rahman and recently taken over by their daughter Khadija Rehman — secured a win for itself for Achievement in Fashion Design (Pret). The new breeds of designers are far better at it than the old guard and these are new times for a new kind of designer. It was a fantastic night of racy performers, some of them a lot of fun — Sohai Ali Abro’s performance was by far the most rousing stage performance witnessed that evening. However, the most “dhuaandaar” (steamy) performance belonged to Mahira Khan who set the stage on fire as she arrived to move on her song from Bin Roye. The crowd went “woah!” The nominations may feel a bit dated with Sadqay Tumharay  still doing the rounds and taking away three awards in the Television Category, but the night belonged to the Raees actress Mahira Khan winning Best Actor (Female) Award for Television and Film along with Best Dressed Female at the night of glamour shebang. Where it was a long wait to Mahira’s performance, it was a joy to watch her perform effortlessly, with minor pre-rehearsals. She whirled and twirled — those jhatkas and thumkas! Kudus to Farieha Altaf and Team.

A rousing fashion week from Karachi this season it was, in one way or another — about ardour through originality. The sturdy, clear-cut voices that obtruded in the melee of shows were from designers who dared to be themselves and thus offered clarity with choices.  Bridal Couture Week holds the reputation of being the most hip and happening affair of bridal bedecking trends and doing extremely well commercially for the designers.  Choreographed by Ketan Bhatia from New Delhi with PR by Body Beats and HUM PR, Bridal Couture Week(BCW)-Gold Edition was organised by HUM Network. Every fashion week needs a neoteric and Fahad Hussayn pulled that off on Day 1, playing with a lot of vivid maroon, yellow and blue. Fahad caters to the mass appeal and knows how to put on a show. He flaunted extraordinary ghararas and sherwanis swathed gotta, chatta — patti and zardozi — work. Some of it was really nice, others were a miss.  Mansoor Akram and Erum Khan showcased their fine bridals featuring long dresses and lehnga chollis. Where the former brought white-on-white collection on ramp, highlighting the idea of purity of marriage with gotta work and silver wire, Erum Khan was a mesh of East meets West in the hues of tea pink, green, grey and beige paired with floral printed silk and matte off-white sherwanis, (which was all about jewel toned, luxe clothes with a boho feel to them!)  In a time where the fashion industry is visualising the future — how do we present clothing and what’s next? — it helps to see a designer who’s already here. Mohsin Naveed Ranjha (MNR) showed one of the most luring collection under his brand to date, filled with pieces in a palette of copper and brown. Although her showstopper Humaima Malick’s duppata seemed to be inspired by Republic Women’s Wear pieces (the one Sadaf Kanwal wore last year at PLBW), Rubya Chaudhry’s look with the bindi on that forehead was so strong that one felt that that was the train of thought he could have carried on with. But then MNR is MNR.  While Tabbasum Mughal keeps herself in the headlines with her designer tantrums and mistreatment of clients, it won’t be erroneous to call her latest lawn collection an eastern duplication of Dolce and Gabbana’s Rose Collection (awkward!). Lehngas, shararas and fishtail gowns embellished with roses in blues and maroons in silk and net weren’t something to look forward from the designer. Games of Thrones is a famous series worldwide, but its inspiration on the ramp wasn’t something understandable. The ‘GOT’ soundtrack and spiked Viking-inspired hairdos faded the serious business of fashion.  Lights, camera, action … and television; the power of small screen is undeniable, giving BCW a great commercial appeal, whilst offering little value for thoroughbred fashion enthusiasts. It won’t go down as the best of Bridal Couture Weeks. Business is tough and designers are exhausted.  Where Day 1 line-up failed to impress, Day 2 got BCW’s groove back with a breath of fresh air and bright spots.  Designers Neeta Lulla and Tarun Tahiliani for London’s leading multi-brand store Bibi London opened the show with Ethnic Indian Wears in pinks and oranges, whisking vintage and contemporary designs.  Deepak & Fahad showed what masters of design they are, giving prominence to regal pure zari and zardozi bridals. They opened with Rubya Chaudhry in a sexy one red piece (let’s call it a hot gown) that fully embraced traditional grandeur, and ended with Hareem Farooq in a gorgeous white and gold long shirt paired with a traditional lehnga.  Zainab Chottani closed Day 2 with a collection featuring modern Pakistani bride in shararas to gowns and harem pants. The collection mused in the shades of silver, blue and white. We’ve seen Zainab Chottani doing wonders playing around, and this wasn’t the best she could come up with on the ramp.  Day 2 belonged to Zahid Khan of Kuki Concept — beguiling the audience with the Taj of Agra, which was all based in fiery ensembles of banarsi and jamawaar traditional lehngas, long shirts and saris paired with tila, dabka, gota here and there, shawls and lachas in colours worth the shop for mehndi outfits for women, and jackets, dhoti and turbans for men.  The third and final day of BCW was the most magnificent. Karachi turned out in full force for the three beloved Karachi designers, Emran Rajput, Amir Adnan and, of course, the grand finale that showed the populist strength and showmanship of Sonya Battla.  Amir Adnan’s flags flew. Celebrities strode out in Amir Adnan’s short jackets, red khullahs, black sherwanis and three-piece sherwani suits paired with Jodhpur pyjamas. Where Amir Adnan walked out of his comfort zone on FPW 16, this Ceremony Collection was exactly his playing field for what he’s known for. The other highlight was him accenting 12+ celebrities for his showcase, from Hassan Sheryar Yasin to Javed Sheikh — it was a star studded affair.  There are few names known for their men’s wear cuts and Emran Rajput is one of them — making a name for himself with the cuts and styles he has to offer. Rajput’s was a men’s wear capsule collection showcasing bespoke sherwanis and waistcoats while getting traditional with shawls and kullahs.  Battla is known for her minimalistic approach and Western silhouettes. Her finale for the night was all about black, beiges and off-whites driving frills and layers – indeed straying true to her signature.  Day 3 was dominated by Karachi designers but one Lahori designer, Asifa & Nabeel and one retail brand Rang Ja (who made a debut in Bridal Wears) were awe-inspiring, seizing the centre of attention. The evening wears and bridals by the duo Asifa & Nabeel showed perhaps the best-fitted trousers at fashion week. The designers used contrasting shades of mauve, purple and grey to create opulent gowns and ghagras. They can easily boost the fashion cred of their brand to new heights. Where there is such talent, there needs to be an equally strong will to find a way. Rang Ja’s Bridal line-up was all about movement in vibrant tones and ethnic cuts showcasing shalwar kameez, sexy knee length skirts and lehnga choli — ideally suited for a pre-wedding functions like dholak and mehndi. Rang Ja was in the mood to party. There were a slew of flirty black sequels, finely embroidered and rocker chic looks held together by intricate metallic work for girls who just want to have fun. It is their spirit that makes the fashion world go round.  One last highlight of Bridal Couture Week–Gold Edition’s finale was a walk by the cast of drama serial Udaari, which took to the ramp to create awareness about child abuse. Udaari has raised the bar for highlighting the sensitive issue in such a subtle way that one cannot stop praising the makers.

HUM Awards, one of Pakistan’s most coveted TV entertainment shows, held its fourth edition recently with the glitterati in full attendance. The most beguiling cogitated golden statue of Pakistan was hosted in Karachi early this week after a triumphant show in Dubai last year. To aptly employ a cliché, we’ve seen Pakistan television industry grow from a hatchling to a swan. From the legendary Nadeem Baig, Samina Pirzada and Behroz Sabzwari to a new breed ruling television screens not only in Pakistan but across the border as well: Mahira Khan, Sanam Saeed and Hamza Ali Abbassi to name a few, it was a star studded affair with a mixed bag of entertainment. The long lines of traffic which patently took everyone hours just to enter the venue was a sweeping snag for the management to start the show past two hours of the timeline. From sophisticated and subtle humour of the hosts to the jhatkas and matkas of Lollywood beauties on Bollywood hit numbers, HUM reinforced its image of family entertainment sans crass content. Although Hamza Ali Abbassi and Ayesha Khan didn’t quite cut it with their on-stage chemistry, Ahmed Ali Butt held the fort again with his humour after performing to singer Taher Shah’s Angel at the ARY Film Awards in Dubai earlier this month. Hamza attempted to crack several jokes that were met mostly with silence from the audience, and Ayesha looked like she would rather be somewhere else. Due to technical glitches, the Awards did not run as smoothly as expected since the start when supermodel and actress Nadia Hussain took over the stage to announce the Best Male and Female model. Although actress Sohai Ali Abro — dressed in a vintage orange lehnga choli — is a really good dancer, it’s nearly impossible to follow Deepika’s ethereal Bajirao act. Not the best idea to have tried. Where many bristle at Bollywood hit numbers in a Pakistani award show, may be there’s a need to rethink if the home industry has produced music worth the award show this year (until now, that is).   One could always censure why Lollywood must dance to Bollywood’s tunes but there is no denying the latter’s influence in the Pakistani pop culture and more so in the entertainment arena. Where actors Ahsan Khan and Mehwish Hayat are considered regular when it comes to performing, the latter chose Pakistani songs from the hit film Bin Roye to perform a duet with top actor Humayun Saeed. For Mahira Khan — the only mother to have played the female lead in both Indian (Raees) and Pakistani (Ho Mann Jahan and Bin Roye) films — it was much harder to match the grace she offers on-screen. The final dance performance of the evening was by Mawra Hocaine, the latest Pakistani entrant in Bollywood (Sanam Teri Kasam), with her sister Urwa. Introducing the film category awards, it was predictable enough for Humayun Saeed and Mahira Khan to win the award for Bin Roye — produced under the banner of HUM itself —whilst sharing the award with Sarmad Sultan Khoosat for Manto and Sania Saeed for Manto as well. Mahira won the honours for Diyar-e-Dil — like she had the previous year for Sadqe Tumhare.  Diyar-e-Dil had received critical acclaim worldwide winning 12 awards out of a total of 21 in television category, the most for the ceremony, including, Best Drama Serial – Jury; Best Drama Serial – Popular; Best Director, Best Actress – Popular; Best Actor – Jury; Best Actor – Popular; Best Supporting Actor; Most Impactful Character; Best Writer; and Best Original Soundtrack. That said, HUM Network needs to revamp the merit for nominations and jury selections. There endure many prominent names who performed superfluous characters. Maya Ali’s and Osman Khalid Butt’s stars appear set in motion. From being a show host to honing acting skills over the years, the former might have exhibited determination, but she still needs to achieve finesse. Although she won the Best Actress Award (Popular), when you watch the show, you find her expressions are pretty much one-dimensional. On the other hand, Osman Khalid Butt, who has done theatre and is known for the parody videos he started on YouTube, gels well with the character he portrays. As for Best Actor (Jury) who else could have won it but the man for all seasons: Meekal Zulfiqar. It was the last award of the evening, presented by Mahira Khan. Among the litany of beautiful Pakistani actresses who sashayed down the red carpet dressed in their finest, Syra Yusuf was imposing. Dressed in a deep blue Shehla Chatoor gown, the actress was at her best. Despite making her presence felt on either side of the border, Mahira Khan couldn’t create magic with Feeha Jamshed’s black-on-black and if you remember the recent Filmfare cover featuring Alia Bhatt and Fawad Khan — Humaima wore the Elan pink couture – (the one Alia Bhatt wore) with a head tight ponytail (a super turnoff hon!) Still over all, as an entertainment network, Hum TV managed to effectively demonstrate its understanding of the market and its viewer’s tastes.

It’s all moving so fast now that there’s no room to flake out – shape up or ship out. If you have what it takes, no one can take it from you, and if you unfortunately don’t, no one can put it on you. The oozing allure and grandeur of Fashion Pakistan Week 2016 (FPW) kicked-off lambently with designers illustrating their latest collections and awe-impelling fashion ruffles plodded over for months. In collaboration with TDAP (Trade Development Authority Pakistan), PR by Take-II, and organised by Karachi Fashion Council, the FPW was a revelation as to where it’s heading as the business of fashion gets real. Fashion needs hoopla and Maheen Khan of Gulabo pulled that off on Day 1 with her ending, playing with a lot of vivid reds and black and white incorporating a concept of wearable collection that was cohesive and well-accessorised. With modern silhouettes, Gulabo featured jumpsuits, plated flared pants and crop tops. Maheen Khan’s collection was the only one from Day 1 of FPW 16 that could live up to its puffery — the first day of the fashion week sustained such unfathomable respites that half the audience walked out mid-way through the show. Designers before Maheen Khan couldn’t put forward their best foot on the ramp either — fashion wise. Deepak Perwani opened the night with his “Fix It” collection, as an ode to Karachi — opening with off shoulder silhouettes in the floral prints and pink; the embellished “Fix It” motifs on jackets, trousers and overcoats was something new coming from the designer house, but he just added four new outfits to a collection he had previously showcased at PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week- Lahore (awkward!). It won’t be erroneous to call Deepak a wiz and Karachi as his playing field, but FPW wasn’t an impeccable count for the designer this time. The two textile brands Kayseria and Lala also showcased, but not creating the necromancy expected of them. Where Lala tried to create a terrible mesh of East and West, Kayseria tilted more towards the Bridal Couture featuring ghagras and shalwar kameez in lighter tones with duppata on head. Why waste time of the audience, when you’re not even able to understand the protuberant line between prêt wears and formals? Consider the question please! Wardah Saleem is another very welcome addition to the fashion world. After a hugely successful DNA London show, the fabric lover has taken a plunge into fashion featuring mini-skirts and overcoats with florescent prints in a fine colour scheme paired with hand-painted bonzer bags, in collaboration with Jafferjees. This girl has a crisp that presented a rare, plushy collection coagulating marvellously on the runway. FPW started on a low note; but a fashion journalist has a responsibility not to crib over what’s being showcased — and to sit back and review later. A voice coming from the editor of a renowned newspaper was quite surprising and a turn-off: “How terrible it feels to sit and watch the crammed shows put on the runway that faded the serious business of fashion when you’ve spent the previous weekend interviewing SRK.” You don’t say that, bespectacled journalist! You cannot compare fashion with entertainment unless you’re there just to pick up the front-row placed courtesy bags and not even attend the entire day one line-up. A runway show is undoubtedly an icing on a multi-layered cake and the applause the cherry on top. There are so many designers and ideas that a day where everything is perfect is almost impossible. FPW got its groove back with a breath of fresh air on Day 2, with some collections that shined like a beacon. That said, I did not particularly care for Zaheer Abbass’s “White on White” collection. The collection was feminine with superb western cuts paired with layering, keeping it simple with sunglasses and necklace wears — he is one designer who does fierce very well, but this was certainly not him, not something Zaheer Abass could come up to the ramp with. Jafferjees showed what a master of design they are, celebrating 135 years in business. In collaboration with Wardah Saleem, they came up with a flashback to vintage trends featured travel bags, briefcases and purses with bold maroon for men and brown for women. The best thing about Jafferjees is that you get all they showcase on the ramp in their stores. Gul Ahmed is as exciting when it comes to prints as Sania Maskatiya or Deepak Perwani — but losing owns comfort zone wasn’t really an idea worth the venture for the brand. Multi-coloured Sindhi embroidery here and pom-pom accessories with chunri pants and chappals there wasn’t something to look forward to from the retail brand. Their shalwar kameez’s have been really lovely, smart, sassy, modern, edgy yet awami — with prints catching attention and everything on spot since it started, but the loss of identity was right there this time, more “Rang Ja” in nature. In perhaps the biggest and best FPW success story from Day Two, Amir Adnan and Huma Adnan presented a stunning collection, their best yet. Letting go of his signature designs of sherwanis (particularly bridal wears) the former got out of the box, giving a feel of freedom featuring three-piece suits, shin-length trousers paired with layered kurtas with “Escape” for men. With a whole new level of crafty silhouettes, with the use of cotton for prêt wear in the shades of blue, beige and white, Huma Adnan stole the show meshing the desi inside of us with cropped waistcoats and embroidered shalwars that looked like a million dollars, easy breezy and wearable with many a standout pieces. What was on display was masterful and truly one of a kind. The final day of FPW 16 was the most significant. Karachi turned out in full force to support the retail brands – Generation and Alkaram and, of course, the grand finale that unveiled the populist energy maestro force of Shamael Ansari playing with a lot of red, brown and yellow. The day opened with Attiya Khan in a hot brown cinched waistline and flared pants and ended with Zhallay Sirhadi featuring her sumptuous exquisite drama inspired by Japanese craftsmanship. Although Alkaram showcased nothing new but digital prints paired with western silhouettes, the off-shoulder tops and jumpsuits in black, beige and white with floral prints and geometrical designs played easy for the brand – setting trends for summer rage. Generation is a retail women’s wear brand working for more than three decades now. Envisioned by husband-wife duo of Saad and Nosheen Rahman, the brand conquered the three nights of runway with the duo’s daughter Khadija’s debut collection “A dot that went for a walk.” Generation still gives every women’s wear retail brand a run for their money, Khaadi even. Featuring dorri embroidery with boho-chic appeal in cotton with beautiful hues of tea pink, green, blue and white was a new sexy identity for eastern wear. Where many people go for Khaadi these days, believe me, the designs Khaadi is producing today were exactly featured twenty years back by Generation. There could not have been a more perfect collection that this to the most fashionable day of Fashion Pakistan Week 2016.

The theatre actress, who made her television debut with Urdu 1’s drama serial Mere Humdum Mere Dost and later shot into prominence with premier entertainment channel Hum TV’s Mausam — both in 2014 — was recently anointed as a ‘new sensation’ at Hum Awards Pakistan. The awards are an annual affair to recognise the talent of the television industry. While there’s no dearth of talent in the industry, it won’t be erroneous to list Hareem Farooq as one of a select few who have successfully made the transition from theatre to television whilst also making grounds in Pakistan film industry. The 25-year-old’s ethereal beauty and passion for acting paved the way for her to enter the film industry when she burst into limelight with renowned playwright Anwar Maqsood’s critically acclaimed Pawnay 14 August. That play was the scriptwriter’s first theatre play and Hareem’s acting prowess was appreciated by the audience even though she didn’t have the main role. Nowadays, she is busy with the second spell of Mehreen Jabbar’s Dobara Phir Se in Karachi which will be the director’s comeback to films after her debut flick Ramchand Pakistani (2008). Penned by Bilal Sami, the film features Hareem with Adeel Hussain and Sanam Saeed in the lead roles and looks to be a youthful movie, revolving around love, friendship and growing up.     “Parallel cinema, theatre, television or anything, as long as you’re confident about your talent and what you’re doing, you are always game to cut it,” says Islamabad’s Hareem, who is no stranger to the pages of local Pakistani newspapers in an exclusive interview with Community . Not delving too much into DPS, her forthcoming film after Siyaah, the actress appears confident of doing even better at parallel cinema. “It’s all about working hard. Whatever the platform, you have to give your hundred percent to excel, putting all your doubts to rest about how different one medium is from another,” says Hareem. The list of actors joining Bollywood industry is rising with every passing year. From heartthrob Fawad Khan, who won the Filmfare award for the Best Debut Actor Male in 2014 to awaiting his upcoming film Kapoor and Sons opposite Student of the Year stars Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra to Mawra Hocane, Pakistan’s latest export to Bollywood in Sanam Teri Kasam is something Hareem looks at with interest and optimism. “All of us as actors, producers or directors, I think would love to get a chance and work in a bigger industry than ours — it definitely broadens your vision. Many actors have been gaining experience and eventually putting that to good use back home,” she adds. Hareem however, thinks the sky is the limit. “Let’s just not restrict ourselves to Bollywood; we have actors who have worked in Hollywood as well.” When it comes to profile, only a few actors can boast that they have gone from theatre to making it big on television and cinema — Hareem is one. Nothing seems to faze the young actress, who’s humble about her versatility. “For me, theatre is like an addiction, once you’re on stage, you’re getting instant feedback. You have rehearsed for may be five to six months and your product of two hours is coming alive on stage that very moment. And when you get good feedback that’s the moment you’ve worked so hard for,” elaborates the young star. Although her first feature film Siyaah didn’t do well at the box office, it didn’t stop the actress from getting offers for local TV dramas. Ever since, she has only strengthened her position, churning out one commendable performance after another. “Theatre is a very good foundation for any actor to learn skills which are further enhanced when you’re on screen for television or film; in theatre, you have exaggerated body language than television or cinema.” The actress was clear from her childhood what she wanted to be. “From the very start, I knew I would be an actor, but couldn’t really figure out how it was going to happen. I was doing law when I got an opportunity to do theatre. I still remember the first time I stepped on stage and instinctively knew, this is what I wanted to do.” The Pakistani beauty stands out as a rare female lead who seems to have bucked the trend of appearing in revealing attire. In a highly commercialised industry many would consider that an achievement, but she concedes that the attire doesn’t really count once an actor is giving his or her best onscreen. Despite Pakistanis making their mark in Bollywood in the last few years, there appears to be no real initiative for joint ventures. Hareem is however, pleasantly surprised to know how much people in both the industries want to work together. “They have the resources, but we have an unmatched dedication to work — a reflection of which is how coveted our television serials are in India,” Hareem says. She heartily concedes to being a big fan of Pakistani star Mahira Khan, the only mother who has featured as the female lead in both Indian and Pakistani films. Hareem thanks all her fans in the Gulf who have been following her still young career. Responding to a question about how aspiring youngsters could also make the cut, she is unequivocal about the wages of hard work. “Work hard, keep your intentions true and never compare and envy others. Let your work speak for yourself!” She also has a word for Indians watching Pakistani TV plays. “Please keep loving and backing us and let’s make this world a better place as undoubtedly we’re the same people living on two sides of the border!”

The biannual Bridal Couture Week known for being a tailor-made show for the Pakistani audience undoubtedly has grown into a parallel fashion week that triggers the latest in bridal trends. The recent Bridal Couture Week came to define the right niche of classical Pakistani bridals. Let’s get over the glitz and glamour spread of weddings. DAY -1 Hassan Sheharyar Yasin opened Day One with a collection of pastels and darker tones, combined with western silhouettes featuring heavily detailed gold work on velvet capes and jackets. It was another fashion week, another spot on show by Nickie Nina. The “Neh Shikar” collection by the duo was Rajput Rule inspired, featuring the traditional zardozai and thread work on velvet, chiffon, organza and jamawar. The use of Balochi tankas was a standout while the traditional cuts enhanced the collection. Aisha Imran’s collection “Heritage” was an ode to the city hosting the fashion week — Lahore. The breathtaking fusion of modern work and art with heavily embellished ghagras and lehngas paired with short cholis with dabka, goti and pearl work was a spell binding one. Shazia Kiyani (wannabe housewife-turned-designer) meanwhile came back on the Telenor Bridal Couture Week with a collection not to look forward to. The use of pure fabric in earthly hues with mukesh, hand embroidery and crystals couldn’t spread the magic of creativity on the ramp. The need of fashion education was right there while as fashion goes, it was average. Ziggy menswear is as exciting when it comes to men’s wear exclusivity as Republic by Omer Farooq or Ahmed Bhalm, and very different. Their collection of intricate Persian inspired Sherwanis went down easy. What was on display was masterful and truly one of a kind. Now the challenge is for the man behind Ziggi to translate that tremendous vision into a rack. DAY-2 Out of the designers who did the show on Day Two, it was Maria B and Rani Emaan who came out with the strongest statement. It was pure Pakistani traditional bridals translated in clothes that can be worn anywhere in the world and with that razzle dazzle so needed at a fashion week. Teena by Hina Butt tried to experiment with cuts and pairing quite unsuited for traditional bridals. Using lighter hues consisting of heavy necklines and floating gowns paired with off shoulder kameez, jacket and crop tops couldn’t turn the heads up except few noteworthy savvy silhouettes that went on ramp — like the one worn by her showstopper Uzma Khan — the yellow separates. With maroon, black and ivory on the palette, Humayun Alamgir was on ramp with an intense grooms wear collection. The “Shehnai” featured velvet sherwanis with gold work that didn’t show any groundbreaking trends but a sellable collection to do well commercially. Sobia Nazir made her ramp debut with the collection “Sar-I-Sang” inspired by the bolder look of today’s women featuring detailed heavy crystals, stones, pearls merged with thread work on pastel hues though her hero capes were not the right kind of cut for the bridals paired with a flat lehnga (so not voluminous) which turned out to be a total miss. Armeena Rana Khan walked the ramp for the designer in a fawn off shoulder top with a deep red lehnga which was overshadowed by the attitude and bubbly personality of the actress herself. The capital based designer  where fashion industry holds no importance, Rani Emaan is a really bright spark — perhaps, the biggest in the lot who doesn’t belong to the fashion cities of Karachi or Lahore. Her collection wowed us as they went on the runway. A mix of a love for Western fashion combining it with the desi lehngas make her a unique mix of exactly what a bridal fashion in Pakistan needs. The most breathtaking showcase for Day Two was of Maria B. one of the largest network of outlets in Pakistan. One must applaud her efforts for bringing a traditional bride on ramp fusing with the modern day girly girl of today. The edgy contemporary sari pants and the voluminous lehnga in blush pink on silvery base with floral embroidery stood out. The onscreen famous couple from the anticipated Hum TV’s Diyar-e-Dil, Maya Ali and Osman Khalid Butt walked the ramp for the designer along with the Humsafar OST’s fame QB. All the drama was in the clothes. DAY-3 Day 3 featured Nilofer Shahid who is undoubtedly back with a bang after an extended hiatus. Her show opened by Pakistani/Bollywood actress Humaima Malik wearing ethereal sharara quite soon turned into a pleasant surprise of a clothing line featuring the glamorous bridals in earthly soft hues — some emerald green here and blues there. It won’t be erroneous if we call Asifa & Nabeel’s collection merely a try to resurrect the style. Flared pants although took the ramp with a storm but multi-paneled shirts paired with the former pants couldn’t just get along. The collection of the duo known for bridal wears in Pakistan was travelling back into the Mughal era with “tehzeeb”. The total put off collection of the finale was Lajwanti with an odd colour combination and hop scotch fusion of elements and overdone embroidery offering nothing new unlike Fahad Hussayn’s “Gulnar Manzil” opting for lighter and balanced colour hues and palette while stepping slightly out of his comfort zone of darker tones staying true to his dramatic aesthetics. With impeccable and intricate details, the different colours’ were perfect for the daring different wannabe bride — just as his dark plum. Fahad made use of his signature silk thread work on rich fabrics like organza, tissue, net and chiffons along with a metal thread work specially crafted for this capsule. Saher Atif’s collection featured fusion of pants paired with jackets and hemlines using layered net, organza, chiffon and kundun zari embellishment mixed with pearls and laces while at the same time Erum Khan’s “Dastoor-e-Ishq” was one to die for. Beautiful cuts enhanced the detailing of work in subtle gold thread on earthly hues and lounder tones in organza and chiffon, featuring ghagra cholis.