Ali Azmat
Ali Azmat likes challenges. They gave him freedom to be who he wants to be and portray what he really is and not be monotonous and repetitive. Ali has done it throughout his entire career. From being in a band (Junoon) which stood out for its socio-political commentary on the nation and its problems to breaking away from this band and coming into his own, from concerts where he can make a bored audience stand up to its feet to acting, where the idiot box is actually not that boring to see. This is what sets him apart from others. He is always on the go, moving at the speed of light, always in frenzy and ready to take on the next thing that comes his way. An entertainer at heart, perhaps this is why, he has evolved more than anyone else. And no, we're not just talking about the hairdos here.

Musical Notes
Najam all for 'live singing'
All the euphoria associated with attending live concerts is something that never reached this part of the world in the true sense. Lip-syncing rules supreme when one attends a concert even now. Take an example of the recent Heatwave concert held in Karachi. It is always a disappointment to witness our pop stars resort to lip-syncing. There are only a few musicians who actually perform live. In many concerts, the sound support is not there and there is no orchestra at their disposal – but true artists always prefer to sing live. One must advocate the trend of live singing and that's what Najam seems to be doing as he said in a statement after performing at a concert in Lahore. 

Vibes
CHARTS
"Christina Aguilera and I are friends no matter what the media makes up."
-- Britney Spears
Pakistani
1. Mantra
- Faakhir
2. Japlari
- Atif Aslam
3. Green - Rungg
4. Jilawatan - Call
5. Be The One
- Omer Inayat

critically

As far as quirky, cutting edge television is concerned, this show's novelty lasted for about three months before it collapsed on its own weight. Today it is looking more and more like a seriously worn out novelty act continuing to bank solely on the once radical (but increasingly flimsy) idea of using a local drag queen as a talk show host.

The novelty and the awkward quirkiness of it all has dried out; and so has the steam behind the begum's naughty innuendos, as she now sounds like a delusional aunty, quite like the desperate Blanche in Tennessee William's A Street Car Named Desire.

But of course, the initial idea sure was exciting, to the point of being meaningfully perverse, especially in a male dominated society like ours. However, as time goes on, this idea has lost that potent meaningfulness and all we're left with now is a vacant, vain drawing room perversity. Begum sahiba, your slip is showing.

The cliche that fashion models should keep their mouths shut makes great sense once you see and listen Ms Zainab Qayyum (aka ZQ) struggle to remain articulate even while mouthing the most inane material to be passed off as a script this side of talk shows.

Based on the "noora qushtie" formula popularized by the pathetic likes of Jerry Springer, it is Maachis' host, ZQ, who ends up sounding the silliest instead of the so-called weirdo guests with their strange domestic squabbles. It can be a most painful sight watching a person with zero gift of gab trying to be witty. She just doesn't have it.

What's even worse, she speaks more (a lot more) than her so-called guests, drowning them with a constant bombardment of chaotic, huff-puff gibberish and god awful one liners!

Maachis certainly is one of the worst things to have come out of modern day Pakistani television. And being the worst in this slot should be enough for ZQ to take some speaking lessons before trying to become Ms. Springer of the East.

I used to enjoy watching stuff like Jay Leno & David Letterman, until recently when almost every other Pakistani channel came up with their own versions of such nightly shows with a host sitting behind a desk, holding a cup of coffee and talking to his guests sprawled out on a sofa. In this day and age when it is almost impossible to be original, one can understand the creative bankruptcy plaguing television. But hey, people like Letterman and Leno might be coming straight from the Johnny Carson School of television; they remain innovative with their humor and script. Of course, none of this can be found on the many Pakistani impersonations of this format.

However, I do, off and on, enjoy watching Me, Myself & Faizan. To begin with, with his cool suits and cooler shades (close to being called outright goggles), he does manage to stand out among his more boring looking peers. And what's more, with the way he sounds … like a teen fascinated with the sudden breaking of his voice (from a pre-teen squeak to an enforced gruff) … I mean, I'm sure the man has refused to let this gruff stuff evolve into something a bit more believable since the day it emerged many years ago?

But then that's about it. Because though pushed and peddled by his channel as "Mr. Blunt", the closest Mr. Faizan has come to bluntness is by adorning those loud, round shades of his. The rest of it is like a gruff sounding dude conducting petty talk with anyone claiming to be a celebrity. And yes, he too has that disease of ending up talking more than his guests. The title of the show is a pretty good indication …Nay, a crystal clear warning!

Thank heavens for Fasi Zaka, Sunday night television is not always such a waste of time. Directed by Zeeshan Pervaz and hosted/scripted by Zaka, On the Fringe disguises itself as a hip pop show while cleverly planking it with some intelligent ideological talk thick with Socialist allusions and Social Democratic pleas. And it does so with great wit going to the extent of parodying its own rising celebrity status, while punching away at pop stars and designers, video directors and fashion glossies, all of them realizing the true extent of the damage a long time after Zaka had smilingly departed, biding them luck and good health! Brilliant stuff, really.

With a clear nod at dry British humor coupled with an educated, self-conscious sense of Pukhtoon raunchiness, OTF charms and dazzles in equal parts but somehow manages to stay away from committing any serious offense. Maybe it's due to Zaka's insistence on speaking in English or his highly disarming demeanor, but one does wonder when would their bosses finally get the joke and decide to pull the plug?

I'm not a religious man. And maybe that's why I do not react the way a lot of very religious people react to this Islamic advice show. Most of them end up foaming at the mouth after watching Dr. Liaquat talk about Islam like Waheed Murad would about chocolate! He's hell of an (over)actor, isn't he? But look carefully to certain contents of his show, beyond the scary looking ulema that he invites and the many truly strange questions they get from the callers. Because of and on the man is not scared to walk into pretty thorny issues like child rape and wife burnings, talking to the accused as if psycho analyzing them like an emotionally charged Freud adorning a Waheed Murad toupee!

He goes all the way, making sure his show addresses certain real social issues as well and not get stuck with trivialities like how religiously correct is the common matter of burping or the taking of afternoon naps. Believe me, such are the all-important issues of quite a few people out there.

Coming back to the cliche that fashion models are dumb, Ayeshah Alam was at least one model that kept defying and proving this cliche as a sexist overstatement. Her advent into theatre was further proof of her artistic and intellectual mantle and her stint as an RJ too isn't all that bad; at least not as irritating as most of her contemporaries.'

But, alas! It took just one TV show for many among us to start doubting the authenticity of her intelligence. The show in question is the truly awful, Cutting Edge. Such frivolous pomp and pretension is mildly amusing and understandable when appearing in laughable glossy rags like GT, but it becomes downright nauseating when such chapli kabab firangi culture is allowed to drag in politics into their air headed laa-dee-daa mix! What's even more audacious is that all this is done in the name of "political satire!"

With Ayeshah on this very unfunny funny show, is a dude called Yawar who is like that rich, middle-aged couch potato who amuses curious children and who see him as that "weird uncle" who speaks in strange tongues!

Both of them run through latest newspaper headlines believing they're being funny when in reality they are only succeeding in making a total mockery of the whole idea of political and social satire. In the end what we are left with is two middle-aged chapli-kabab-firangis using the words "sex" more often than expected purely for cheap shock value. Did I say shock? Oh, the horror, the horror …

For Faisal Qureshi, the beat goes on. Even after his former Vee Jay partners abandoned him to his own quirky devices with some of them like Jawad Bashir falling prey to sheer quantitative mediocrity and the elusive Ahsan Rahim now putting more effort into making commercials and (albeit off-beat), pop videos.

Faisal has moved on and taken his hard-to-pin-down persona of the straight-faced witty nerd to a more mass level with Ulta Seedha. The anarchic, whiplash social humor he perfected on Vee Jay (along with the sourly missed Ahmed Ibrahim), turns populist on Ulta Seedha as Qureshi with his new team of pranksters take on everything from the budget to Indian soaps, to pop music, to popular cinema and all the way to Jerry Springer! So much so, he hasn't hesitated to even bite the hand that feeds him by poking some much needed fun at the Pakistani channels' advertising excesses, a relevant and much needed topic to be ridiculed (and now also being rubbished with as much relish and sarcastic venom by Zaka and Zeeshan on On the Fringe).

But Ulta Seedha lacks consistency and it is obvious that the load of both scripting and directing (and acting) the show sometimes leaves Qureshi hunting laboriously for fresh ideas, leaving him looking and sounding jaded. So don't be surprised to find one episode of the show bordering on sheer comic brilliance while the next is as good as forgettable. Something new is now required by this wonderful TV satirist to keep him fresh and protected from the usual pitfalls of continuously feeding the monster of modern-day commercial television. His only consolation: He's doing it his way!

Does VJ Anoushay irritate you with her crackling hoarse voice that can shake the mute out of their comfortable deaf zones? Do you think Dino is more suited as a life-long model for Milo Milk ads? Do you think both of them have mastered the agitating anti-brain art of mindless pop talk and repellent teenage cuteness? If yes is your answer then I wonder why you are continuing to watch Radio Bajao and if not then I wonder why on earth are you reading this article? Grow up, cutie pie.

It's easy to hate a character like Mani. Especially if you have gone way beyond the petty-bourgeois humor first mastered by the likes of Omar Sharif and the vibrant Fifty Fifty team many years ago. Though highly sexist and reactionary, it was extremely punchy and at times hilarious when done well, but today it sounds awfully repetitive, predictable and not very smart. However, since Mani has been around for a pretty long time now, he is getting a lot better. On the not-so-bad Mani-ism, he seemed to have learned a trick or two from his Ulta Seedha partner Faisal Qureshi and this has helped him deliver more satirical content rather than recycling old Omar Sharif hurrahs.

Take a day in the average working woman's life: she gets back from work exhausted to find out that the power's out, the kids are filthy and the husband has invited friends over for dinner. Instead of killing herself over lack of energy, she decides to take half an hour to pamper herself. She knows it will help invigorate her back into action. She'll cleanse the day's dust and grime off with a dab of Vitamin E, she'll step into the shower with a refreshing bottle of passion fruit gel and body scrub and then end her beauty regime by spraying herself with a lively body mist. The drab lethargy she walked home with is gone. Voila! She's a new woman.

The 'feel good' factor is vital in being and relishing the fact that you're a woman and it's something every woman should be able to experience. There are two things that can make every woman a queen - flattery and pampering. While flattery comes in individual doses, pampering now has become widely available with the launch of The Body Shop in Pakistan. It brings delicious products that smell as good as they look and make you feel as good as you smell, lifting all senses to a happy maximum. The brand that was once randomly available off dusty shelves at departmental stores here and there, has come to Karachi, launching its first official outlet at The Forum.

For people who are already familiar with the brand internationally, The Body Shop Pakistan lives up to all expectations. The product ranges available are new, the same as you would find in, say Dubai. The shop has been designed in the same manner as its international counterparts, the prices are decent and the feeling you experience as soon as walking in is just as elating. Bright lighting enhances a spotless interior that bursts out into colour. Whether it's the new Cassis Rose collection that brings out the deep red vibrance of roses or the Oceanus collection that refreshes with the coolness of blue, The Body Shop is about invigorating the senses. Available are scents from the perfume bar, face and body illuminating skin care products for all sorts, an array of exotic body scrubs and butters to get your skin as smooth as a baby's and basically every product conceivable from cotton buds and concealers to soaps and scrubs, from lip gloss to body mist. The Body Shop leaves no reason to go anywhere else for your monthly toilette shopping.

It's also encouraging to see the presence of a smartly dressed, helpful and trained staff - women who will guide you into buying what'll suit you best and also assist you in testing out the range of makeup, if that's what you want. The widely displayed testers make the experience better

The Body Shop franchise has been brought to Pakistan by CTC, Cosmetics Trading Company, a Dubai based organization. The plan is to take more shops to Lahore and eventually Islamabad. Though despite the fantastic response they've had in the opening week, The Body Shop will face minor challenges in Pakistan. The first is theft control, as sale reps admitted that testers had been picked up unnoticed. The second will be tackling the existence of smuggled products already available in the market. "We cannot guarantee the authenticity of Body Shop products that are selling in stores," says Tayyaba Khan, Operations Manager, "but we will be sending out legal notices to have them removed from shelves."

In the meantime, women have been flocking to the store in Karachi. After the opening of Mothercare and Lacoste amongst some other International brands, The Forum is becoming a popular destination for serious shoppers and it's a trend we thoroughly encourage. After all, shopping is not just about what you buy, but also the happy time you spend in retail therapy.

"Initially it was only about formal wear, now it's about prêt and day wear clothing"-- Sobia Nazir

Sobia Nazir is one of the few fashion designers in Islamabad. She came into designing about eight years ago and has opened three outlets since then in both Islamabad and Lahore. Instep talks to the designer who advocates prêt clothing but believes that there is more room for creativity in bridals…

Instep: Tell us about your latest collection?

Sobia Nazir: I divided the collection in two different themes. The first was inspired by floral motifs which are directly related to summer. I kept the base red and white. The other one was mostly done with printed chiffon and I used unusual materials for embellishment. The collection had day wear, formals and bridal clothing.

Instep: How do you operate your business?

SN: I started fashion designing eight years ago in Islamabad after doing my graduation in Fine Arts. My start was with an exhibition. I do design and business myself.

Instep: Are you qualified in fashion designing or is it just a passion/business?

SN: As I said, I did my graduation in Fine arts from Islamabad and then I came into designing. So, I take it as my passion and business.

Instep: Are you of the opinion that fashion should go forward or stick to traditional roots?

SN: Progression is the only way to go forward. It should grow. Since now that there is a lot of competition and fashion is getting global - the need to grow is felt more than before.

Instep: How do you describe your formal wear?

SN: I do formal wear on orders only as it has various requirements, from fabric selection to embellishment to fits etc. I do what people ask me to do.

Instep: And what about causal wear?

SN: Casual wear is more practical, wearable and reasonable. My lines range between 2400 to 8500 rupees.

Instep: Do you think fashion is more about retail or about made to order?

SN: In today's world, I think it's more about retail. The whole market for designer wear in Pakistan has tremendously changed. Initially it was only about formal wear, now it's about prêt and day wear clothing.

Instep: Do you make bridal wear because it is more lucrative?

SN: I don't think so. I do it because it gives you more room to play with and it's not restricted by budgets. On the other hand, retail is all about producing something cheaper and wearable.

Instep: Do you operate via retail outlets?

SN: I have two outlets in Islamabad. One is exclusively for ready to wear while the other is for formal wear lines. I have an outlet catering to ready to wear in Lahore as well.

Instep: Describe the fashion scene in Islamabad?

SN: When I started there was hardly a market for fashion and that was about eight years ago. Then people were hardly fashion conscious and there were not many designers, in fact, there are a very few now as well. But now more people want to take it up as a career. Small fashion institutes have opened and a lot is happening now.

Instep: Would you like to move to a competitive market like Karachi as you already have outlets in Islamabad and Lahore?

SN: I will be doing it by next year. This year I am concentrating on showing in India at the Bride and Groom show.

Instep: You have shown at Asiana in London and now this one, why do you prefer showing at bridal shows?

SN: I had a bridal market in London when I did that show. I don't have a stall when I go to these shows so I don't sell on the spot. I just want to be a part of the fashion show. I am going to India because I have worked with some of them with my shows in London. And I had a good experience of working with them. There is a lot of difference working with them and working here. This is my first time in India as I just want to test the market there.

Instep: You design from London as well, tell us about that…

SN: I used to have an outlet in London but not anymore. I had a huge bridal wear clientele there. But it was difficult for me to commute and maintain the shop that's why I closed it down.

Style watch

Many see the split of fashion weeks in India as bad for business, but on the contrary, fashion in India has been picking up this year like never before. Almost a dozen Indian designers have participated or are expected to participate in fashion weeks around the world this year, giving them much needed exposure and reaffirmation of their status in local markets. In the month of July alone Ritu Beri and Kiran Uttam Ghosh are participating in Paris Couture Fashion Week and Rome Fashion Week respectively.

Manish Arora has already shown his work at the London Fashion Week twice and this September Ashish Soni, who exhibited at the New York Fashion Week last year, will be showing his work on the main ramp. 10 designers will be participating in IMG-organised fashion weeks all over the world, courtesy their participation in the Lakme Fashion Week. These include Sabyasachi Mukherjee for New York, Narendra Kumar Ahmad and Nandita Mehtani for Sydney, Manish Malhotra, Priyadarshni Rao and Surily Goel for Los Angeles and Sonam Dubal for Melbourne. All those who thought the bigger show was in Delhi, with the top guns participating, stand corrected. IMG stands unparalleled worldwide and it has been proven. The perks that came with the Lakme Fashion Week was an article that gave details of the A-Z of Indian fashion in Vogue, featuring all designers present at the IMG event and continues now with inroads to fashion weeks. This should also be an eye opener for PFDC and Fashion Pakistan. International assistance, IMG to be exact, will be needed to change the face of fashion and eventually put it on the map world wide.

Foreign shows are not only good for business but also come with image building back home. And foreign shows do not simply mean individual shows. While some designers like Maheen and HSY manage to pull off impressive acts, there have been other programs held in Malaysia and Brunei that bring back bad reports. It's affiliation with international fashion, via fashion weeks, that'll bring progress. "After London Fashion Week, suddenly I have been taken seriously," says Manish Malhotra. Narendra Kumar agrees, "It is like going out to come in." Sabyasachi feels though he takes it as primarily a business exercise but showing and selling abroad does change perceptions. "My Nair Sisters collection was ripped off by the media when I showcased it at the India Fashion Week as repetitive. But when it was bought by Browns and Selfridges, it was termed imaginative." Ritu says you got to keep showing on big stages to keep the image going.

Cost has always been a factor that restricted Indian designers from taking the world stage. Showing at an international fashion week means an investment in the range of 30-50 lakhs, which only the biggies could afford. Sabyasachi says the IMG support means that the participation fee has been waived off but he still has to look out for sponsors. "I believe ministries of Textile and Tourism should support the designers as we are playing a part in making Indian textiles and destinations popular."

Whether it's the ultra hot Jennifer Lopez or the trendy Jessica Simpson, everyone's sporting a bang across their forehead this season. You can go for a Queen Cleopatra sort of look with a heavy bang falling across your face or simply a light side bang. It doesn't matter if you're sporting a short hair do or a long one, or if your locks are curly or straight. Bangs are a great way to provide an instant tune-up for just about any hairstyle or look. Besides making you look hip and trendy, a fringe is a convenient way of flattering square or round faces. So whether you're trying to achieve a wind-swept sort of look, or simply trying to look glamorous and cutting edge, bangs are the ultimate look this season.

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman…No wait, it's Krrish! Released back to back in different regions of the world, Krrish and Superman have both managed to zoom through the box office as a success. They acquired super-hit status over opening weekends and have climbed their way to respective number one spots. Superman Returns has exceeded the coveted one million dollar mark, grossing $108 million and Krrish has earned more than one crore rupees in the opening week. Bigger evidence of Krrish's success, perhaps, would be its fan following and the fact that Indian teenagers are trying to imitate stunts at home. Third in the trilogy of hits this year (after the huge successes of Rang de Basanti and Fanaa) Bollywood seems to have taken off towards having a great season.

Superman Returns marks the re-entry of the popular comic book figure who comes back to cinema screens after a hiatus of almost 2 decades and Krrish presents India with its first significant super hero. The name Krish is literally the short-form of the Hindu God Krishna and his character alludes to Hanuman (the monkey God who can fly) and Ram (for his dedication to righteousness). Comparing the two films may be a case of comparing apples and oranges, but in some ways the heroes are too similar to be kept apart. Comparison is inevitable.

Krrish vs Superman

Comfortably over 6 feet and packed with good looks, Hrithik Roshan and Brandon Routh look equally handsome in their own ways. Actually Hrithik Roshan looks better with the dusky, long hair appearance he's been given for the role. When they're not busy flexing their muscles, they're also equally geeky and square. But the physical similarities end there. While Clark Kent just pretends to be a simpleton, Krishna Mehra is genuinely stupid. He falls for every silly trick in the book and even talks in a retarded manner. It's a definite turn off. He, having been raised in isolated wilderness, cannot see through half the things happening around him, including being deceived by a young and beautiful girl who he falls in love at first sight. (Reminiscent of Mowgli in Jungle Book who falls for the first female he sees). Thus follow the nauseatingly cheesy scenes where he trails around her like a lovestruck puppy and sings ballads. Superman brings his powers from his home planet Krypton and energy from the sun and is therefore super human. Krrish on the other hand, is…well, more 'special' than super. His superpowers stem from his father's abnormalities along with the equally irritating alien Jadoo and these influences reign supreme in his character. (The film is a sequel to Koi...Mil Gaya) He doesn't have the powers of Superman and he probably cannot take a bullet in the face like The Man of Steel. He doesn't have Superman's charisma either.

The verdict: Nothing beats Superman. He may be nerdy as Clark Kent but is neither irritating nor naive. He has more super powers and despite that, he's more human in his quest for love and his vulnerability in death. He stirs more emotion than Krrish and that makes him a better (super) man. Plus Brandon Routh has stepped into Christopher Reeve's shoes very well, not an easy fete.

Lois Lane vs Priya

Inspired by the classic character of Lois Lane, Krrish's beloved is also a journalist. The only difference is that she works in the electronic medium. As lady loves, Priyanka Chopra and Kate Bosworth both fail to deliver. Priya appears an initially conniving, beautiful piece of fluff that any person, lest superhuman, would be able to see through for the lies she spins. Priya, after realizing Krrish's powers, wants to share them with the world and make him famous (obviously through the Singapore TV channel she works for). Lois Lane, on the other hand, takes the personal failing of her love for Superman to write against him. She believes the world doesn't need a saviour. As star reporter at Daily Planet, she presumably wins a Pulitzer for writing an article titled, "Why the world doesn't need superman." Now when people walk into cinemas to watch a man fly, they're already in a 'fantasy' frame of mind, willing to believe anything. Even so, this piece of information is harder to digest than the fantasy of the film itself! As a love interest she appears sexless and unconvincing as to why a superhero of superman's caliber would fall for this woman. The directors, Bryan Singer and Rakesh Roshan however do give both women the capacity to save their men from fates worse than death, thus giving them a credible reason for being around. As for love-chemistry, it just doesn't exist in either film.

The verdict: Lois Lane's love for Superman has a history, even if no chemistry. She is an intelligent and brave woman who risks her life to pull Superman out of Kryptonite infested waters where he faces death. She's also single mother to a 'super' cute five year old kid (get it?) making her multi talented. Lois gets the vote, hands down.

Lex Luthor vs Dr Siddharth Arya

Once again, the character of Dr Arya played by Naseeruddin Shah in Krrish is inspired by Superman's evil nemesis Lex Luthor, played by Kevin Spacey. Both men are evil geniuses - they are well bred, well read intellectuals who appear to be more refined than the men they are up against. Lex is the whacky multi millionaire who is to be feared for eccentricities whereas Dr Arya is the rich, mad scientist who uses Krrish's dad Rohit to create a voyeuristic computer. Naturally both eventually aim at taking over the world. In portrayal of characters, Dr Arya's role seems too limited. The great actor has been wasted in fact and seems to be given a guest appearance rather than a meaty role. Kevin Spacey's role, on the other hand, is well rounded. Being the biggest names in both films (not counting Rekha in Krrish) it's impossible to keep the actors and their characters apart. One feels that Rakesh Roshan has not done justice to Naseeruddin Shah, perhaps fearing that the legendary actor may steal Hrithik's thunder.

The Verdict: Though Kevin Spacey is great he just doesn't match up to Gene Hackman. As a result the rebirth of Lex Luthor is not so effective. Naseeruddin Shah, on the other hand, despite not having ample meat on his role packs a better punch as villain. The incidents in which he reveals his evil are more convincing and consequently he comes across as being the better bad guy.

Conclusion

Superman Returns is a must-see film. It's agreeable to audiences of all age groups. Brought up on a healthy diet of super heroes and super animated stunts, the action sequences in the film are not ground breaking, but they are thrilling nevertheless. Especially the first one in which superman saves an airplane from crashing and lands it gently in on a baseball field while the game is going on. Powers given to Superman are unmatched in the world of superheroes and mutants. He truly is Man of Steel, invincible and eye candy while at it. What else could the world hope for?

Krrish may have made Bollywood history, but as a feature film it will not appeal to a mature audience. If watched as a super hero flick, it's itchy to have the superhero make his entry well after the interval. It seems that to Rakesh Roshan, the true hero is his son Hrithik and the film revolves around him - as Krrish and Krishna and finally even as Rohit when he's brought back from death! He fights and he dances and much to our disgust he dances with more muscle-moves than he fights. As a personal request, can Hrithik Roshan please avoid forcing every dance/fight move he knows in every step he takes? Is it possible for him to dance without seeming that he's about to take off in flight and vice versa? The director/writer/producer Rakesh Roshan has not managed to do justice to the other actors (Priyanka Chopra, Naseeruddin Shah, Rekha) and not even to the story, nor its plot. Hrithik looks better than ever before and the stunts which he worked so hard at are good, but since this film has been made in honor of his glory, that's the least he could do.

In the gym, Stick It means to land on one's feet. And although the movie Stick It doesn't quite land on its feet, it doesn't fall flat either. It does wobble though. This is the latest teenybopper chick flick to hit the screens and is not recommended for anyone else.

Stick It is the usual teen comedy running on an inspirational story of a rebellious 17 year old overcoming all odds and falling onto the path of happy redemption. Its story revolves around Haley Graham (Missy Peregrym), a juvenile delinquent of sorts, who's gotten into trouble one time too many. After landing into trouble with the law for causing thousands of dollars worth of damage for her dangerous BMX stunts, she is directed towards the city gym as rehabilitation. Spending time exercising, it seems, is the best way to work off pent up energy. The story is made slightly more interesting by the knowledge that Haley at one point, had reached the world finals and then backed out at the last minute - no one knows why. This is Haley's comeback.

She ends up at the city gymnastics academy headed by the dry (and slightly money minded) Burt Vickermann (Jeff Bridges), a former champion. Haley, a rebellious girl learns that her gruff coach for all his harsh words actually cares about her future and perhaps her snobbish peers at the academy aren't so bad after all. After finally fitting in, Haley is selected, with three other girls, to participate in the nationals. More obstacles are to be overcome however, as Haley is sick of the outdated conventional scoring system of the judges as well as her personal problems involving her parents' separation, and decides to challenge the norms of the sport.

The movie is interesting enough, although it's full of the usual clichés - the reformation of a misunderstood delinquent, the blunt, slightly taciturn mentor, the inspiration provided by sports etc. But the movie doesn't handle such typical fare too badly. Missy Peregrym puts in a strong performance as a brash, angry teenager who's tired of her family problems. Jeff Bridges on the other hand, cannot do justice to such a type character. After appearing in movies like Seabiscuit, it's surprising that he took on the rather stock role of Burt Vickermann. Besides the performances however, the comedy aspect makes the movie thoroughly enjoyable, especially the witty one liners ("It's not called gym-nice-tics!") and the antics of Haley's two skateboarding punk friends as well as the rivalry between her and the snobby Joanne (Vanessa Lengies). The more serious underlying theme of defying convention is portrayed well through the medium of gymnastics and Haley and co. live up quite well to the movie's tag line "Defy and conquer". One way in which the movie actually does manage to steer away from convention is that the element of romance is kept minimal (considering that this is basically a teen movie that's quite unusual) and the focus is kept on the sport and the ambitions of the gymnasts themselves.

However it's unlikely that the movie will appeal to anyone over the age of 18. In spite of the slightly overused themes, Stick It is a good way to spend a lazy afternoon for someone within that demographic, but nothing more.

--Heba Islam

*YUCK

**WHATEVER

***GOOD

****SUPER

*****AWESOME

This could be the end of an era. Yash and Aditya Chopra have announced that Shahrukh Khan will not star in any of their future films. Times of India hints that "owing to Shah Rukh's alienation from the Bachchans, the Chopras have decided to keep him out of their camp". Chopra has reportedly replaced Shahrukh with Abhishek Bachchan opposite Rani Mukerji in his next film. It seems like burn out time for Shahrukh. He has been criticized for calling himself 'King Khan' in a recent interview, especially since a Hindustan Times poll showed that Aamir Khan is still more popular as an actor. Well it seems that the star is blowing his own trouble a bit too much, more so because he hasn't had a hit in over a year. Paheli was a flop. Ironically his first and most recent successes were DDLJG and Veer Zaara, both made under the Yash Chopra banner. Could Shahrukh Khan be following Tom Cruise's footsteps in terms of stars losing their stardust? Will Kabhi Alvida na Kehnaa help him reclaim the number one spot and will it be able to compete with the astounding success of Rang De Basanti, Fanaa and Krrish? One thing's for sure, we can't imagine a love story without him…

After a messy divorce, rumours are abounding that Saif Ali Khan's relationship with Italian brunette Rosa is on the rocks. For a long time, the two had seemed inseparable- Rosa was accompanying Saif to all the Bollywood award functions as well as the private parties. Not to mention her declaration of fondness for his daughter from his now kaput marriage. Lately however there's been a great deal of gossip of strain on their relationship, a rumour however which Saif is vehemently denying. According to a close source, the trouble is not because Saif doesn't want his ladylove to work in Indian cinema. Apparently the problem lies in another department altogether. Rosa is not being 'satisfied' in their relationship, if you know what she means. On the other hand, Saif recently announced that the couple is planning to find a permanent residence rather than the rented place they were living in. Bollywood is so full of contradictions isn't it?

Saif and Rosa aren't the only ones whose relationship is coming under public speculation. If there's been one couple as open about their relationship as Tom and Katie, it's got to be John and Bipasha. From the get go, John and his sultry partner have declared their love for each other publicly time and again. Now however, gossip is rife that the two are just about finished and Mallika Sherawat seems to be in the middle of it all. Unconfirmed reports state that John got cosy with the Murder starlet when on his recent tour. Insecure with the situation, Bipasha flew over to Birmingham and that's when things started to get ugly. But despite all rumours, Bipasha is vehemently denying the split. She has also denied getting close to her friend Abhishek Bachchan and using his shoulder to cry on. "Even after giving a joint clarification, the media doesn't want to listen to us," she commented. "Ours is a genuine relationship and the media make it look so dirty. And what nonsense is this about me weeping on someone's shoulders? Even if I was going through a turmoil, I'd never do that " None of these rumours, she insists, are going to make her weak. "John is a handsome guy and will have female fans. I was telling John the other day that there are people trying to pull him down but this too shall pass." Whether the relationship will sink or swim, only time will tell but it sure is progressing in true Bollywood spirit.

Johnny Depp's taken his penchant for pirates in another direction. Known for adding an unusual twist to whatever he takes up (his inspiration for the role of the slightly kooky Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean was Keith Richards), he's now come up with the idea of a sea inspired music album. The idea was formulated with Pirates director Gore Verbinski, who were working together on the sequel to Pirates. And there isn't anyone more excited than Depp about the album. This doesn't mean that he's making any appearances on the album. However, he's an executive producer of the album, not a singer. The album will consist of "those centuries-old sailor songs - sea chanteys. We thought it would be cool to get contemporary artists to do them. And it happened. It's just amazing."

They've even managed to rope in Sting and Bono for the project. If anyone's interested in listening to a bunch of hundred-year-old songs, the disc is going to be out on August 22nd.

Depp isn't the only Pirates star making the news. Keira Knightley, who previously came in the movie Pride and Prejudice for which she received an Oscar nomination, is also making headlines. As if the Lindsay Lohan and Mary- Kate Olsen rumours weren't enough. The slender 21-year-old, in London to promote Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, rejected suggestions that she suffers from an eating disorder, which surfaced after she appeared at the film's premiere in a revealing gold Gucci gown. However, she did disclose that her family has a history of anorexia including her grandmother and her great grandmother, not to mention several school friends. In response to all allegations, the actress said "I'm not saying there aren't people in the film industry that suffer from it, because I am sure that there are. But I'm quite sure I don't have it." Quite sure. Hmmm….

His Bigness

I have the unfortunate tendency of mispronouncing words for years on end until someone irritated by my incompetence drums the right sounds into my head.

For years I pronounced the name of the band INXS as something close to "Inks" (its actually In-Excess). My shame on this wasn't really long lasting because I decided I didn't like them enough as a band to really care that I had gotten it so wrong.

INXS eventually famously dissolved when their front man Michael Hutchence committed suicide. That should have been the end of them, except for the occasional greatest hits compilations and posthumous B-side releases.

Last year, somewhat out of the blue, promos for a new show made the rounds of satellite TV that was called Rock Star INXS. The aging rockers from the dismembered INXS were making a comeback by looking for a new lead singer. In what can only be described as a crass concept, they had decided to go all American Idol in the process by holding a reality show of the audition process.

There were 15 contestants vying for the job of front man of INXS. Dave Navarro, formerly of Jane's Addiction, was the host of the show, along with Brooke Burke the model.

The contestants stayed in a "mansion" to give them an idea of the rock "lifestyle". Drugs and prostitutes were not included.

There is a rock purist in me somewhere, and he thought the whole idea was disgusting. But boredom can numb you into watching Sheikh Rashid expound on culture, and so one day I channel surfed into watching Rock Star INXS.

It was riveting. The contestants were genuinely talented (sadly, one would eventually be wasted on INXS). Reality TV thrives on human drama and pettiness, but this show was truly about the live performances.

The contestants were taking truly great songs, rearranging them and making them their own. One of them, Marty Casey, composed an original number 'Trees' while on the show which is one of the most infectious songs I've heard. That in itself made the whole show worthy of airtime.

If anything, it was great to listen to Jefferson Airplane's 'Need Somebody To Love' and Janis Joplin's 'Take A Piece Of My Heart' being sung with new nuances and being remembered once again through the performances of the contestants. The whole three month run of the show was truly a musical education, I became acquainted with some really great but obscure songs and bands.

By the end of the series, the American public had taken its toll on the voting process for their favourite singer by electing yet another boob, J.D. Fortune, to the top job at INXS. The truly talented MIG and Marty Casey were drummed out of the possibility of bringing their great talents to a mediocre band.

I missed the programme once it was over, even though I knew the show had committed the travesty of once again reviving INXS for the world. The value of the show was giving us an insight into how musical prodigy actually works by showing us how the contestants prepared for their performances.

I also thought that would be the end of the Rock Star show because I was sure J.D. Fortune of INXS wasn't going to kill himself this year.

It was surprising to see the new promos of another Rock Star show doing the rounds recently, only this time it was for a band called Supernova. I had never heard of this band, and I am sure you haven't either.

That's because it doesn't exist, yet.

It's a band that was formed to jump on the Rock Star bandwagon. Supernova is Tommy Lee, Gilby Clarke and Jason Newsted, all formerly of Motley Crue, Guns N' Roses and Metallica respectively and an as of yet undecided lead singer set out to come from the show Rock Star Supernova.

That's three "has been" musicians trying to revive their careers. All three were in legendary bands, and are masters of their instruments. What they never were, though, was essential components of the song writing process for their former bands. They really need a songwriter if they are to get the band Supernova off the ground.

At least Rock Star INXS was slightly more credible than Rock Star Supernova. INXS existed prior to a reality show, not for it. And Tommy Lee, when not making home movies, has been making other silly shows to revive his terminally ill career, like Tommy Lee Goes to College (seriously...this reality show exists too).

But after watching some of the live performances (especially the one by Dilana covering Nirvana) in the pilot episode of Rock Star Supernova I knew I would be watching this one too. Except this time I find myself highly irritated by the band members of Supernova and their witless banter, more so than last time with INXS.

The weakest part of the format of the show is the emphasis the judges in the show, be it INXS, Navarro or Supernova, have on the "lifestyle" of a rock star (the sexuality, the money and the shallow elements of looks). That's positively off-putting.

But I would still suggest to watch it, I am sure it will be interesting once again. Rock Star is a great show with a lousy prize. Let's just hope they don't have Rock Star Roxette next year.

Ali Azmat likes challenges. They gave him freedom to be who he wants to be and portray what he really is and not be monotonous and repetitive. Ali has done it throughout his entire career. From being in a band (Junoon) which stood out for its socio-political commentary on the nation and its problems to breaking away from this band and coming into his own, from concerts where he can make a bored audience stand up to its feet to acting, where the idiot box is actually not that boring to see. This is what sets him apart from others. He is always on the go, moving at the speed of light, always in frenzy and ready to take on the next thing that comes his way. An entertainer at heart, perhaps this is why, he has evolved more than anyone else. And no, we're not just talking about the hairdos here.

Ali's debut album, Social Circus was a hit with the critics and fans alike. Now, Ali has ventured into a new domain: direction. His latest video, 'Main Challa' is a product of his own direction and concept. Instep caught up with this rocker to find out more on the video and his thoughts on being nominated for Best Album category in the prestigious Lux Style Awards '06…

Instep: Tell us about the concept of 'Main Challa'.

Ali Azmat: It is life through my eyes. Where I go, what I see, what I think. Life moves from moment to moment, one minute you're in that moment, the next minute, it is just gone. That is the main storyline of the video.

Instep: Why is the video moving so fast?

AA: Because it is the way I see life, Main Challa…

Instep: Did you always want to make this video or was it a spontaneous idea?

AA: It was premeditated. I had been working on this video for about a year and a half. I had a lot of video tapes that I shot myself over a period of time. I lost some of them you know. There are about 25 tapes that I went through and edited parts of them to make this video.

Instep: Why did you make the video yourself? Why not hire a professional?

AA: I thought that I'd get someone to do it but I couldn't find the right person so I went ahead and made it myself. It's all about exploring, my life, and my friends, traveling, entertaining and meeting new people.

Instep: How was it sitting behind the camera for the first time?

AA: It was interesting.

Instep: Does this mean you'll be directing more videos in the future?

AA: I just might! I have been in enough videos to know how they're done. As far as direction is concerned, if a concept comes into my mind or any idea that I want to work on, then definitely. But I haven't planned anything.

Instep: What's going on with the 'Teri Parchaiyaan' video? Why aren't you starring in it?

AA: The video will be out by next month. The last three videos from Social Circus had me in them so it's okay if I'm not in one.

Instep: How does it feel to be nominated for (Best Album) Lux Style Awards?

AA: Finally, I've arrived. It feels great that the media, critics and fans have recognized and appreciated my work. It makes me think that I should do more and more. I'm going to start recording my next album in September/October this year.

Instep: Do you think you'll win the LSA?

AA: It is not about winning or losing. Being nominated makes me happy. I do think I will win.

All the euphoria associated with attending live concerts is something that never reached this part of the world in the true sense. Lip-syncing rules supreme when one attends a concert even now. Take an example of the recent Heatwave concert held in Karachi. It is always a disappointment to witness our pop stars resort to lip-syncing. There are only a few musicians who actually perform live. In many concerts, the sound support is not there and there is no orchestra at their disposal – but true artists always prefer to sing live. One must advocate the trend of live singing and that's what Najam seems to be doing as he said in a statement after performing at a concert in Lahore. He discouraged the trend of DAT in the local concerts. He said that he was the only singer to sing live among the fourteen artists who performed in the concert. Najam's request comes as a wake-up call for the audience to actually encourage and promote live singing at concerts. After all, there is nothing better than performing live and it's about time we realize it too.

Pakistani pop bhangra sensation and a hit among masses, Abrar–ul–Haque is touring India. Following the footsteps of Ali Azmat, Strings, Ali Zafar, Atif Aslam, Rahat Fateh Ali and of late Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, he finally visited India to promote his new album in an effort of strengthening ties between the two nations. Abrar, who is currently visiting the city of Jaipur to promote a compilation album, claims that music and art are great means of bridging the gap between the two nations in an interview given to Hindu Times. When asked whether the field of sports is a better ground for bridging this gap, Abrar replied smartly, "I think a cricket match between the two countries is almost like a war with a win or lose situation. But in music and art, it is a win–win situation for artistes and listeners of both sides." The album titled 'Preeto', which is a compilation of his ten biggest hits, has tracks in three languages according to the bhangra singer. He admitted that despite being successful in Pakistan and having a good repute in international countries, he wanted to achieve success in India as they listen to the same kind of music. "The Indian music industry is huge and it is a big platform," says the singer adding, "Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi are common languages in both countries and any album with lyrics in these languages does well in both countries." The singer also added that his songs would be received well in India especially by those who like listening to Punjabi bhangra/pop and romantic songs, and isn't Abrar all about this? Though, it remains to be seen if 'Preeto's' magic can work on the Indians the way it did for us. But all we can say is that we are proud of our pop which has worked wonders across the border and Abrar seems to be just another one in that list.

Seems like Omer Inayat has finally understood that wearing abominable make–up and hideous hair–dos to go with an equally weird wardrobe in his video would lead him no–where, no matter how good his music is and how many people tap their foots to it. Honestly, as if the shocking dose of those dance moves wasn't enough, he had wrongly thought that his face glossed to a much greater degree than either of the clueless female models would some how be the saving grace of his amazing video. There was no sense of balance between the song and the theme of his first video, 'Tenu Lay Kay' and it ended up making a bad impact, if none at all. It was clearly the song which saved the grace of the singer. Now after his experiment with frisky colours and garish make–up, his new one seems to be playing it safe. Omar seems to have learnt the lesson well. One look at his new video directed by Nasir Omer and one heaves a sigh of relief. With a good catchy tune to the song and a subtle but fresh look to the video and certainly an improved image of Omar, 'Yuhee' comes as a breath of fresh air. The choreography and wardrobe in this video are done well compare to his old video, where both these departments were a disaster. Kudos to Omar for getting back on track as his music is certainly worth it, and in a world, where a good image determines a lot of things, a good video is just as important.

Sohail Javed has hardly failed to break the monotony of his clichéd videos. Or it's probably just because he directs too many of them and when one emphasizes on quantity, quality does suffer. Call's 'Bichar Ke' with the typical rain and love birds situation was a average effort, now he has another very predictable video on air. This time, it's Ali Haider's 'Jab Kabhi,' one of his tracks from the Remix album which was recently released. The album had the same old songs running on remixed melodies. Although the video follows a clichéd concept, it has its moments. Ali Haider is not willing to reveal himself from the shadows and has held an apparently innocent girl (Annie of 'Sali' fame) in confinement who is being kept alive by what appeared as two tablets of Disprin in water, every day. The video reminds one of Sushmita Sen's role in Dastak. The candle light dinner shot in the video strengthens the doubt that the video is inspired by the Bollywood flick. Even if it is a sad imitation, the video manages to look good. And speaking of imitation, Aftab Shivdisani's latest movie Ankahee's video sadly is another act of blatant imitation of Fuzon's hit video 'Khamaaj.' With the familiar black and white touch, its only Aftab and not Zara Sheikh this time watching flashbacks of a forlorned life being played on the screen. And 'Khamaj' was ultimately homage to Guru Dutt's Kaaghaz Kay Phool. What goes around comes around. Ali Haider, however sports over done make up and that needs to be taken into account. Though, much speculation is going on about his new album, so lets keep our fingers crossed and expect something that reminds us of his 'Qarrar' days.

1. Mantra

- Faakhir

2. Japlari

- Atif Aslam

3. Green - Rungg

4. Jilawatan - Call

5. Be The One

- Omer Inayat

1. Fanaa

2. Krrish

3. Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna

4. Gangster

5. Pyar Ke Side Effects

1. Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chilli Peppers

2. Switch - Inxs

3. Back To Bedlam - James Blunt

4. Let Love In - Goo Goo Dolls

5. All The Right Reasons - Nickelback