Blowing the lid on the mindscape of the hip and happening on the social pages, Instep's resident social commentator puts 'the scene' into perspective

For years I have commented upon the social and political ins and outs (mostly outs) of various Pakistani youth generations across the '90s and beyond. So much so that recently I have struggled to find anything new in this respect… that is until I suddenly stumbled upon a yet undefined strain of this decade's educated twenty–somethings.

Let's just say I was always aware of this strain but tried to exhibit a bit more tolerance towards its contradictions and pretensions, more than I am ready to show towards the social flakiness, political dimness and intellectual pretensions of others belonging to the same generation. Not anymore.

Just can't hold myself back any longer. Not when I see this strain made up of what I call Existentialist MBAs! (Gulp)

Young, twenty-something men and women who so audaciously name drop Camus and Kundera sometimes in the same sentence that contains the not–so–existentialist info on the Karachi Stock Exchange and the state of multinational banking in the country. They are the kind of people most responsible for hyping up overrated films like Unbearable Lightness of Being for all the wrong reasons!

They are usually from institutions like LUMS, which, mind you, (and comparatively speaking only), seems to be a lot better place in this respect than deadly intellectual droughts like the IBA, but I do wonder if having glossier intellectual pretensions gives them the right to behave cooler than their clearly one-dimensional IBA counterparts? Because as far as I am concerned, both are made from the same cloth, the only difference being, one is hyped up and sold at designer outlets while the other hangs across the dusty shops of Zainab Market.

Or let me put it this way: If I like having one for breakfast, I would have the other for dinner. And it is no secret anymore that I can be a pretty vociferous eater. Burrrrrrrppp!! Gee, look what the toothpick dug out: Bits of Camus, some "Sufism," some Coldplay and lots and lots of hot air. Stick to banking, dudes.

You're nearly a laugh, but you're really a cry …

The following generation of people I am about to launch into is not young. They've been around at the center of hip cultural activity for a pretty long time, but thanks to their cringingly elitist shafts of cultural fluff, they've usually remained cushioned in their drawing rooms. And that is where they should remain. But alas, they've finally managed to get their trivial pursuits of the pompous kind noticed publicly; mostly due to certain sections of the country's electronic and print media whose runners seem to be spending more time watching channel E! than anything a lot more worthwhile. Thus, in comes trashy–gora–meets–confused–bhurah frivolity like GT and that awful, awful (so-called "satire" show) on a private channel, called Cutting Edge.

Hosted by one Yawar and model–turned–VJ, Ayeshah Alam, the only thing cutting and edgy about the very unfunny funny show is that some members of the audience who would like to cut Yawar sahib's British–snuff–stuffed nose with an extremely edgy object!

Really, one look at those two and all the Tina, Bina, Shanty, Monty and Poos in GT, and you ask yourself, who on earth got these ridiculous looking, faarigh chapli–kabab–firangis out from their Ikea closets?

The answer is simple: All the Tina, Bina, Shanty, Monty and Poos running these publications and channels. Yup, glorified, self-centered back–patting and air–kissing has never been so incestuous.

Fitter, happier, more productive, like a pig in a cage on antibiotics …

The scene today, nothing more than an apolitical wasteland of aimless youth. A youth that refuse. Refuse to understand. Understand the political and economic forces driving them. Driving them towards professional and social aspirations and goals. Goals not of their own making. Not of their own thinking and liking. Goals and targets created to only garner unquestioning manpower. Mindless nuts and bolts. Healthy, non–smoking bodies for the economic well–being and consolidation of the status quo: The civil service, the armed forces, the feudal masters, the industrialists, the seths, the clergy. The 'progress', the grind, the race, the end.

The youth today have no power. No memory or realization of the power that was once a formidable reality. A power that was once a central event in the scheme of many revolutions and movements, social, political and creative. Of political upheavals, social change and creative eruptions that were embraced with passionate abandon. Of collective evolution which was given new social and cultural means and energy.

Every generation has its heroes and villains; patriots and traitors; idealists and cut-throat 'realists.' Characters which help the generation populate the memory banks of the events and happenings, celebrations and tragedies of a time when they were young.

Events that guide historians to figure out the collective mindset of the times: What were the young dreaming about? What were the elders scheming about? What happened to all those dreams and schemes? Who won, who lost?

This generation today. What are they?

A profitable target market for capitalists. A numb audience for the "artists" and the media owned by seths and corporations. Confused recruits and clients for warped evangelist religious cults as mindless fodder to thicken and fertilize theological, communal and sectarian militancy.

One side is selling a digitalized future of carnivorous consumption sprees and the other, a dead past. Historically both are a cause of violent wars and political intrigues. One encourages social decadence and amoral gadget and status madness in the name of social freedom and "freedom of choice." The other glorifies cultural myopia and unabashed moral hypocrisy in the name of divine guidance, moralistic virtues and spiritual enlightenment. Both are an unholy alliance. They are of the same mint and coin.

Different only in attire and rhetorical symbolism, but joined for a similar purpose: The political exploitation of manpower, emotions, material wants and spiritual cravings of a sleeping, confused generation. Both are enemies of youthful idealism. Idealism rooted in a third pasture. An 'other' side where the grass IS greener. Care to cross over?

In a white superman tee shirt and faded blue denims, Ali Kazmi does indeed look like a rockstar and he is one. Every now and then, he does let lose at the Basement Cafe on their Thursday night jam sessions, but other than that, his ability to rock is in the closet along with his wardrobe, that has style savvy written all over it.

Despite being known as the son of Rahat Kazmi and Sahira Kazmi, Ali is very much his own person, and a very crazy (in a good way) one at that. He is very down-to-earth and is a complete joker who swings from one place to another at a constant pace, and that is lightening speed!

VJ/model/actor/singer – all packaged in one, Ali Kazmi is a comic and entertainer at heart. This 24-year-old definitely likes to go with the flow but as he's growing up, he is trying to be responsible. Lounging on his drawing room sofa – which is surrounded by pictures of the Kazmi family, a CD rack on both ends of the room, paintings and small artifacts and ashtrays – Ali is polite enough to ask if his dog can be let in. They're both family dogs (Coco and Michkin). He prefers them to cats. "I love dogs. I have nothing against cats. These days, a lot of guys have cats because cats have attitude you know so they think it's cool or something."

People who act cool never are, and no one knows that better than Ali Kazmi.

He smokes a cigarette and mimics his father's signature soft, Urdu accent a conversation that Rahat has with Sahira – "'SK (that's Sahira), dekhiye agar aap dekhaingi Alfred Hitchcock ko. Wah, kya movie banatey hain. Ab sochnay ki baat hai." And then Ali lapses into the crisp English that is quintessentially Rahat. "It's just so amazing the way he puts together a story. The man is just a genius," and then switches back to Urdu again "Aaj kal logon ko dekhiye, na un ko angrezi aati hai or na un ko Urdu aati hai." Ali cracks into a wicked smile. He knows he's just given a great performance.

"My dad's like a dictionary and I always make fun of that. Kuch bhi hoga, abba ko pata hoga," he says and you realise that with all the talk of being under your parents' shadow, Ali stands out because he has been brought up by two very strong individuals.

In an interview with Instep, he talks about work, life and more…

Instep: Are you an aspiring musician?

AK: I sing for the heck of it, when I jam with friends. It's always been a fun thing for me. I love singing and I love music. My father loves classical music and my mom loves old folk songs and old rock, so I've grown up with a lot of musical influences. Everybody is a bathroom singer, na? I play a bit of the guitar, self taught. If I ever have the platform I just do it. I'm not releasing an album though.

Instep: Did you always want to be an actor?

AK: I always knew that I wanted to do some form of acting. But as a kid I wanted to be an engineer. I had science subjects in 'A' Levels but then I realised that it was boring. Acting is my passion.

Instep: Being the son of Rahat Kazmi and Sahira Kazmi must have its advantages.

AK: It has its advantages. I have had great tutoring from my parents. One of the biggest things an actor does is observing; observing different people react differently to every situation, every emotion and everything around them. How shy people get angry and how commanding and forceful people get angry. They're both very different from each other. My parents have taught me that. When I went into the industry, I wasn't a stranger to it. A lot of people still don't know what the fundamentals are. They don't possess that knowledge so I have had that advantage.

Instep: Any downside to being known as their son?

AK: Well, shuru mein, main kisi ko apna naam nahie bata tha. In the early days people used to say, "You look a lot like Mr Kazmi. Have you ever met him? I was like 'uh... yes, no' and then somebody would come and say he's joking. There is a lot of pressure because I have two successful parents who have made it in this field even though it was a different time with only one channel and less competition but still it was huge and still is. So the pressure is to succeed and not become just another actor. I have to be at par with them. Then, there is always that thing in people's mind that he got the part because he's Rahat and Sahira Kazmi's kid. But I have enough talent, so I'm not worried.

Instep: What was your first acting job like?

AK: My first major acting job was in a long play called Zikar Hai Kai Saal Ka. My mom directed it and my dad was in it. I was 14-15 years old. That was a lot of pressure. But it went through with flying colours. Mashallah everybody loved it and thought that I was good.

Instep: Have you ever done theatre?

AK: Yes, I've also done a lot of theatre. Back in my school and college days I used to be part of the drama club. I've even co-directed plays at school.

Instep: Do you prefer television acting or theatre?

AK: Television acting is more fulfilling at the end of the day because your work is out there on record. It's also more lucrative. It makes you feel that you've achieved something because I pay for everything myself (including my college tuition fees) now so it's important that way. Plus, media is booming these days. Everybody is on television and/or watching it so it's easier to reach more people. I want to make people happy and appreciate good television. The one thing I don't enjoy watching or do is soaps.

Instep: Why not?

AK: Because honestly, we're trying to copy the Indians too much. I once watched this Indian soap on some channel. There was this woman who was supposed to be an evil bitch and she comes in a room five times, totally decked up, with ten zooms on her face and then this cat like 'vaaaaan' is played. I was like that's not a play man, that's crap. It's too overdone and I don't like that. Drama should be more close to life. But theatre is also my love. You get your response right there. You get butterflies in your stomach every time. It's fun and exhilarating

Instep: How is it working with your parents?

AK: If my mom is working with me as opposed to someone else, she'd keep on a tighter rope, give me more daant. My dad is also critical about what I do. Sometimes he would say, "Son, what are you doing?" And at the same time, tell me how to do it right and guide me.

Instep: Have you always been this comfortable in front of the camera?

AK: It felt like home. When I was a kid, I used to sit with my mom when she used to be editing so I knew what was being done. Obviously one would get nervous. I mean it's your mom right? They're supportive but they also don't want you to do a mediocre job. That trains you well. Even today I give 100 percent in anything I do.

Instep: You're also studying as well as working? Have the two ever clashed and is it easy?

AK: Sometimes it's tough. When I have exams, I don't work as much or take a week or two away from work so I can go to class and have a regular schedule. I will hopefully graduate this year. It's a BBA in Marketing degree.

Instep: Why marketing?

AK: I think it's a great field to be in. It's a challenge. I'm a people person, you know. I enjoy meeting people and exchanging fresh ideas.

Instep: What's your relationship with your parents and sister like?

AK: Great. I've lived with my grandparents and my parents. My nani passed away last year so I'd like to give her my love. We don't have a big family. It's always been my sister, our parents, my grandfather and me. I have two uncles from my mom's side, both of whom live abroad. It's a tight family. Neither my sister nor me have ever felt that we're being neglected or ignored in any way. Their schedules never took away from us. They gave us everything and were always supportive about everything.

My sister (Nida) is six years older than me. We used to fight like crazy. She's pulled half my hair out. We used to play pranks on each other but now she's like my second mother. She's very responsible. She's been married for two years. Ironically, you hate the brother in law because he takes your sister away but I love him and I'm happy for both of them. She's not too far away. It's sad sometimes because it's lonely. And if anything happens, I have no one to blame it on (laughs).

Instep: Are you more like your father or mother?

AK: Yaar that is a real toss up. I'm an exact mixture of both. My sister is more like my mom. My sense of humour and chilled out attitude comes from my mother. My dad always taught me that it's not about reading books (he read a lot and I mean a lot!), it's about having knowledge and asking questions. The day you stop asking questions, you're dead. That whole fact thing I have, learning new things and exploring new ideas – I've learned from my dad. Another thing that my father has taught me is being patient.

Instep: How do you unwind after a long day?

AK: I like to give a shout out to all my friends. They keep me sane or insane, which is more fun. I have friends who've been with me for a decade now. I like partying with my friends over the weekend. I love dancing. But I've realized that, as I'm growing older, I prefer sitting with a close group of friends and just chilling, watching a movie or talking.

Instep: You're always energetic and happy. Were you always like this?

AK: Yaar, I've always been a happy person. Life's been great. I really think you should enjoy life. There are times when I want to be alone but I'm not a moody person. I do think that you need that alone time. Being energetic comes from my parents. They are tireless people. They're more active than I am so that's where it comes from. My nickname by the way is Energizer Bunny.

Instep: Energizer Bunny?

AK: You know that batteries commercial, where there is this bunny who's always going on and on. So I'm that. I wish there were 48 hours in a day.

Instep: Any upcoming plays?

AK: There are three projects that'll come out soon. One is called Manzil, then there is Vinni and Qissa-e-Ulfat.

AK: I would like to give a message to everybody out there. Just enjoy life, keep smiling and seriously if you ever fall off the horse of life, always get up and ride of into the sunset. And I want to give a shout to all my friends, family and Nani and to my special someone out there. Take care and I love you all.

starbytes

After continuous protests and debates since the last month, Fanaa finally got a green signal from the Supreme Court where the ruling was passed in its favour and cinema owners were given permission to screen the film. Speaking to the media on the issue, director Kunal Kohli stated, "All theatre owners or exhibitors who wish to release this film can request for protection and the government should extend support. Aamir has a right to say what he feels, even the people of Gujrat, who are protesting have the right to say what they feel but in a democratic fashion, and not by burning posters and threatening people." The first sign of hope came a day after the ban was lifted when a cinema owner in Jamnagar dared to defy the protests of BJP and screened the film. And while BJP weren't too happy about the screening, they could legally do nothing as cops had surrounded the cinema incase demonstrations turned into violence. This was the first time the film was shown in Gujrat since its release in May. Now that Fanaa has been allowed to screen, it seems that Aamir Khan will set a new record for himself by delivering two of the biggest box office hits that Indian cinema has witnessed in the recent years. And even though, Fanaa isn't as great of a movie as one had hoped but Aamir Khan's portrayal of Rehan Qadri shouldn't be missed by anyone and that includes the people of Gujrat!

Madhuri may come back

Veteran actress and dancer Madhuri Dixit just might come in a film again. After Devdas, her pregnancy and new born baby did indeed keep her away from India. But in a recent interview, she said that she is looking into scripts. Reportedly, one of the scripts under consideration is a Bobby Bedi film. The storyline revolves around the life of a painter Raja Ravi Verma and his obsession with his muse Sugunbai. The filmmaker, Shaji Karun, believes that no other actress can play the role better than Madhuri. Although Madhuri hasn't made a statement but her secretary has confirmed the news about receiving the offer. Will she do it or not? Let's keep our fingers crossed! After all, no one has managed to do it quite like Madhuri!

No altar, pictures of Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt instead!

The baby pictures of Shiloh have finally hit newsstand after a tough battle between magazine editors. Frantic phone calls and an all night meeting took place and ended at six in the morning where every editor had to make a bid and the highest bidder got the rights. Winning the bid that night was People Magazine who acquired the North American rights by paying 2.2 million pounds whereas Hello Magazine paid 1.8 million pounds for UK rights alone. But that's not all that Brangelina has been doing from their getaway in Namibia. After taking a hiatus from the media, the couple finally held a press conference in Namibia and silenced all rumours about marriage. In a black dress, Angie looked beautiful as always and by her side was Brad in a white shirt and crew cut hairdo. Speaking to the Namibian press, Angie said, "There is nothing in the air. The focus is the kids and we are extremely committed to the children and as parents together. To have a ceremony on top of it is nothing." Now whether this is another way to misguide paparazzi in the race to the altar or the actual truth, we really can't predict. After all, Angie is quite a shocker. Coming back to Shiloh, Angelina through a law firm in LA has registered domain names ShilohNouvelJolie-Pitt.com, ShilohPitt.com and ShilohNouvel.com along with several other variations. When opened, none of these websites feature the baby which is exactly what Brangelina were aiming for. Meanwhile on the other side of the world, it has been reported that Jennifer Aniston burst into tears after finding out about Shiloh's birth. Jennifer's friend, Tiffany Laws, told British magazine Star how "Jen just burst into tears. She tried to cover it up in front of Vince but he assured her it was OK to cry." However she did send a Congratulations card addressed to both Angelina and Brad. SWEET and all that should get even more publicity for all involved.

Baby boy for Rachel Weisz

Speaking of new born babies, Oscar-wining actress, Rachel Weisz recently give birth to a baby boy in New York. Engaged to Darren Aronofsky, this is her first child. According to Rachel' spokeswoman, "Both mother and child were happy, healthy, wonderful." The name of the baby has not been disclosed yet. This is turning out to be a good year for the actress who won an Academy Award this year for her supporting role in the political thriller The Constant Gardener. This birth is neither as hyped up as TomKat's birth of Suri or Brangelina's Shiloh but hey, all of us at Instep love Rach and her excellent choice of scripts. Weisz will next be seen in The Fountain with Hugh Jackman. The film is written and directed by her husband who can previously be remembered for Requiem for a Dream. All we can say is congratulations to the parents who make thought provoking cinema. Mr and Mrs Smith they aren't, and thank God for that!

Penelope Cruz goes Indian

After riding a massive high following the rave reviews for her performance in Pedro Almodovar's evocative cross-generational drama Volver at the Cannes Film Festival, Penelope Cruz has confirmed that she will be appearing in an India-centric project backed by her own newly launched company, 88 Producciones. The film is based on a celebrated novel by Javier Moro titled Indian Passion. It revolves around a real life turn of the century flamenco dancer who falls in love with and marries an Indian maharaja. Cruz is slated to play the role of the dancer Indian Passion will be filmed in France, Spain and India later this year. "I think this facet of my life is going to be satisfactory," Cruz said of her decision to turn film producer. "I am stubborn. That might not be a great trait in other areas of life, but I think it will come in handy when I don the mantle of a producer." She has another major project in the works – a yet to be titled Spanish film to be directed by the Oscar-winning Fernando Trueba. Cruz has worked with Trueba on the critically acclaimed Belle Epoque that won Best Foreign Language Film at the 1992 Oscars. Only goes to show that for some women life only begins after they leave Tom Cruise!

In the picture

Adapted from the critically acclaimed play by David Auburn, Proof brings Gwyneth Paltrow and director John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) together again.

Gwyneth Paltrow portrays the role of Catherine, daughter of a brilliant but ill mathematician, Robert (Anthony Hopkins). Robert made significant contributions to various fields through his knowledge of math and even revolutionized one by the time he was 22.

The film opens on a rainy night at Robert's home where the father-daughter is shown having a conversation. Soon, one realizes that something is wrong. Yes, it is. Robert is dead. Catherine is his dropout (from school) daughter who is perhaps just as brilliant as he is. However, she never got a chance to pursue her dreams because of her father's deteriorating condition.

As Robert's funeral gets closer, one sees that Catherine has not just inherited her father's brilliance in math, but also his disease, or at least, a shadow of it. She has her own demons to fight as well as the fear that she will turn into him, a mad genius, that is.

The film moves in different time frames. On the one hand, there is Catherine in the present, where she becomes rather dysfunctional because of the trauma she has suffered due to her father's death. Then, there are past time frames, where the relationship between daughter and father are shown. It also becomes clear that Robert's illness was just as confusing as his personality. He has lucid days, followed closely by delusional and paranoid days. At one time, his lucidity stayed for nine months, bringing hope to his daughter. But soon, it goes away and before his death, the last two years were filled with madness, literally. His madness is highlighted in a scene, where he believes aliens are communicating with him, through decimal codes on library books.

Fast forward to the present, and to Robert's funeral, which brings Claire (Hope Davis) to town. Clair is Catherine's elder sister who tries to rescue Catherine from her own self.

And finally, there is the sweet, nerdy Hal, played to perfection by Jake Gyllenhaal. He is Robert's student, a protege in the making, who is attracted to Catherine and desperately wants to help her. Then, suddenly, an equation falls into place and results in chaos, drama, and some more madness. That is when the film really picks up pace.

Proof has various stories knitted in the plotline. It plays on the idea that insanity is creativity. Robert is one creative, insane man and Catherine is also one walking on those lines. However, she hesitates, perhaps because of what her father went through. Proof is a family drama with overtones of madness. It shows the most universal relationships there are in the most perplexing light possible. It is not just about the father-daughter relationship but the two sisters. Catherine is cynical, humourless and stumbling on the course of life. Claire is successful, confident, and in control. The difference between the two is that of chalk and cheese, night and day and yet, the father's death throws them together, once again, after many years of negligence towards each other for various reasons.

And finally, the most natural aspect of the film: the relationship of Hal and Catherine. The opposites attract theory applies perfect here.

The only problem with this film is its ending. It should've had more to it. After so much, the ending is inexplicably dry and doesn't make much sense.

Proof is a four actors only show, all and it is a delight to watch. Hopkins plays his role to an understatement. He's soft and vulnerable and an absolute madman at the same time, but in a totally different way to the unforgettable Dr Lecter. Davis is perhaps the only relatively sane member of the family brings believability to her character. It is a clichéd character but essential to the film. How can you define madness without juxtaposing it with sanity? Gyllenhaal too is adorable as the math geek. Finally, there is Gwyneth Paltrow. Proof is her film all the way. Raw emotions, convincing agony that literally penetrates its way outside the screen, Gwyneth never loses control of the character. Her Catherine is the bleeding heart of the story and Paltrow who shot this film right after her father died gets every nuance right. Her presence overshadows any and every mistake. This is one of her best films to date and deserves a watch.

Highly recommended for all drama lovers!

--Maheen Sabeeh

*YUCK

**WHATEVER

***GOOD

****SUPER

*****AWESOME

Instep: What's the latest collection all about?

Kamiar Rokni: It's Karma Pink's Spring/Summer collection which is geared towards fun and prêt clothing. There is a pop and folk element to the collection; it incorporates various folk motifs from Europe and Central Asia. Its juicy, its colourful, and a fun but efficient collection. It's not boring, that's what Karma Pink is all about.

Maheen Kardar: The shoot that I have done is very fresh and vibrant and that is the feel of the label, Pink. It's for the young and old alike, it is so multipurpose and works very well as separates. From day wear to casual, you can also wear them out to work or in evenings. The mood of the shoot is '20s movie style. The philosophy is to give clothes that are affordable, off the rack buy, they are safe in design and fun at the same time. This time we have emphasised on machine embroidery, taking away from the classic galas and embroidery. We have bold motifs but playing around with our typical components. We are trying to do something which is innovative and yet has a clean silhouette.

Instep: Now that Karma has sales outlets in both Karachi and Lahore, how do you compare the sales?

KR: Sales has been very steady in Karachi. Whenever we fly down to Karachi and take appointments, it's always better. The prêt market is genuinely very good, the response for off the rack clothing is better in Karachi. But then the market in Karachi is very competitive unlike Lahore where a particular niche is filled by Karma. We love being in Karachi and are planning to open in Islamabad by the end of the year.

MK: I feel that there is a big difference; people in Karachi are spoilt for choice. Many designers like Sonya Battla, Deepak Perwani, Body Focus etc have their diffusion lines, they all have prêt stores. This gives consumers a lot of choice for good prêt a porter. Lahore is not the same. Probably one place you can head to for off the rack ensembles is Nee Punhal. That's why in Lahore, the response to Pink has been phenomenal. Lahore is unexplored as compared to Karachi and there is a serious lack of good wearable outfits. But I don't believe that people buy heavy outfits off the rack.

Instep: Tell us a bit about how Karma operates as its one of the few design companies unlike a one man show?

KR: We are a company and we have partners and shareholders. There is an investor in our company and then three of us, myself and Maheen and Saad, who is the CEO. Karma is different than other labels because it combines the design talent with the business acumen. We both design while Saad takes care of the business aspect of the label. I believe that not all designers are cut out to be very business minded. It makes us concentrate on the design than to take care of the day to day running of the label. The whole system is in place.

MK: We have been lucky as it is my husband's company. We didn't have the fear that the investor will take over label or anything like that. It makes us stick to what we do best and that is designing. We don't have to worry about finances and the running of the factories and shops on a day-to-day basis. We have accounts and finance departments to take care of these things. We are the design directors. Karma operates with 250 workers in all and we have two factories.

Instep: Do you think that it is important for designers to work as a corporation?

KR: I think if you want the business to grow and sustain itself then this is the only way to go about it. If you have aims and targets, like Karma wants to go international at some point, then you have to function like a proper business entity. We want to take our work to larger audience. Those days are over when you could operate from home and small workshops. We have opened three labels now. We have our own store in Lahore, we are available on the high street in Karachi and we plan to open in Islamabad. We are in the process of launching our own lawn line next year. We are thinking big, thinking business.

MK: I think it's great because we have an added advantage, we knew the people we were going in a partnership with, it was my husband's concern. So it was very safe. It makes us give our hundred percent. We know design, we don't know business.

Instep: Do you treat lawn designing as an extension of your design?

KR: We have done it for Al-Karam. It's fun doing it, we both have our minor in textiles. Anything that can sell and sustain itself is good. It also adds diversity to your work.

Instep: What do you prefer designing, western wear or eastern wear?

KR: I have my days. Sometimes I am in a very ethnic phase and at times, I'm thinking west. We both have a sensibility that has some funk, colour and glamour to it. I cant pick just one. Western, eastern or fusion, it has to be something that is not run of the mill and that underlines Karma. A ball gown or a bridal outfit can be equally exciting depends on the inspiration and what you are designing.

MK: Eastern wear any day. I love that, I am a real embellishment oriented person. You might ask Kami and he would say that he is more cut oriented. I am not. I am very much into the drama and glamour of eastern clothes.

Instep: How is the establishment of the Pakistan Fashion Design Council going to benefit Karma?

KR: It remains to be seen as things unfold. We will start from Fashion Rocks. But Fashion Week is going to be beneficial for all. It will be one platform for all designers to showcase their collections. We don't have such a platform. I am inspired.

MK: I feel sad about the division. We won't benefit from separate councils, we need a joint platform. But I do think at the end of the day government is going to get involved. As I feel that amongst us we can't take it anywhere. At the same time, it's a great effort made by a bunch of people. It will have its teething problems and the initial hurdles

It's not a colour to miss and it's bounced back into fashion like never before. To top that, it's not restricted to women anymore. This lovely shade of pink is seen everywhere, from the runways to hot celebrities, it's in your face wherever you go. Remember Madonna donning that pink taffeta dress in her multimillion dollar hit, 'Material Girl,' still inspires top celebrities. Even local celebrities have woken up to this trend and many designers have made stunning ensembles using this hue. Aaminah Haq and Frieha Altaf are just a couple of examples who wore lovely pink dresses at LSA last year. Baby doll dresses are all the rage too. A brighter and stronger, fuchsia from the same colour family is the perfect choice when stepping out for parties and happenings these days. Even men have started endorsing this colour, which was labelled as women's only till some time ago. Lovely paisley prints for men in pink and bright fuchsia are the hot buys. Even men's formal shirts are using the baby pink shade.

While I-Tunes may be guilty of killing off albums by letting people download individual songs and not having to bother with purchasing full albums, it does on the positive side provide you with the opportunity to sample all the many artists on offer across various genres. You can listen before diving in and investing in that album or get music that you can't buy in our music stores. Here is a subjective list of recommended artists worth checking out and the best tracks that may provide an intro to each artist's oeuvre, all definitely worth a download.

Chanson: The most essential track of the month comes from the most shocking of sources: Supermodel Carla Bruni sang, played and composed the most stunning of albums, Quelqu'un m'a dit. The title song is a superlative chanson torch ballad with extremely poetic lyrics. A must have. If you like Bruni, you may want to then trace it all back to the master chanson, Edith Piaf and her superlative songs (start with 'La Vie En Rose' and 'Embrasse Moi').

Rock: Anything by the Replacements is worth a download but one cannot go wrong with the raucous B-side 'Beer for Breakfast', the rebellious 'I Will Dare' ('I ain't lost yet, so I must be a winner/ bacon and cigarettes make a lousy dinner'), the seething 'Bastards of Young' or the melancholic 'Skyway'.

Speaking of raucous, early Goo Goo Dolls tracks such as 'Out of the Red' show that the Goos could rock out with the best of them. The cover 'Two Days in February' shows Johnny Rzeznick could deliver a ballad even in his early days. For more superlative ballads, check out 'Unsatisfied' or 'Here Comes the Regular' once again by the Replacements and see where Johnny Rzeznick got the inspiration for 'Slide', 'Name' and 'Iris.'

Ryan Adams is the most prolific 'it' boy of the moment: he writes and releases many albums a year and each one puts all his colleagues to shame with their quality and verve. 'Desire' and 'To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High)' are all essential songs to check out as an intro to this fascinating young artist.

All of Stereophonics are must downloads, but also worth checking out are the awesome covers they have done (Rod Sterwart's 'Handbags' & 'Gladrags', Neil Young's 'Heart of Gold', a number of Black Crowes covers, CCR's 'Who'll Stop the Rain').

Manic Street Preachers were the rock equivalent of Rage Against the Machine: their screed against apathy 'If You Tolerate This (Then Your Children Will Be Next)', the almost pop 'You Stole the Sun From My Heart', the deep 'Everlasting' and breakthrough 'A Design for Life' are the most accessible songs to get into.

Almost all tracks by Nirvana are essential; however 'Sliver' and 'You Know You're Right' have the added advantage of being relatively obscure and nevertheless essential. 'Drown' by Smashing Pumpkins is a lost gem. Collective Soul thought so as they stole the riff. On their own Collective Soul are spectacular too, with songs 'Heavy', 'December', 'Shine' and many others being must-listens.

Seether's 'Gasoline' is hard and rocking and is the closest anyone has come to sounding like Kurt Cobain.

Alternative: Soul Coughing are a remarkable band. 'Circles' and 'Rolling' are absurdist masterpieces as are their albums El Oso and Ruby Vroom.

Asian Dub Foundation is the most explosive band you will hear. They are a desi Brit band playing the most politically explosive of music: their songs 'Buzzin' and 'Free Satpal Ram' from their debut album are must-listens. 'Ta Deem' is brilliant NFAK remix by them.

'Dyslexic Heart' by Paul Westerberg is memorably catchy. His 'Century' rips off 'Ballroom Blitz' and is all the more memorable because of it.

The Eels led by leadman E make the most heartbreaking music. 'Novocaine for the Soul' was the quintessential eels song. Electroshock Blues and Souljacker are two albums that are staggeringly inventive. Gomez's debut Bring It On with its joyous 'Whippin Piccadilly' or alternately bluesy songs 'Get Miles' was award-winningly excellent.

Glam Rock: Glam Rock had some of the best singles ever: David Bowie's 'Rebel Rebel', 'Mama Weer All Krazy Now' or 'C'Mon Feel The Noize' by Slade, Sweet's 'Action' or 'Ballroom Blitz' showed or Mott the Hoople's 'All the Young Doods' beyond the glam makeup that the bands were expert tunesmiths as well.

Pop: A-ha is a guilty pleasure. If you only know them from their classic 'Take On Me' their 'Shapes that Go Together' "I walked twenty five miles to hold you/ just to find you moved away" or the shimmering 'Angel (in Snow)' are lovely and 'Sycamore Trees' or 'Between Your Mama and Yourself' rock as hard as your hardest rocking bands.

Project JAM's excellently commercial rnb ballad 'Angel of Heartbreak' shows a Paki star in making.

Singer-Songwriter: Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine is a stunning album to download. It was rejected by the A&R men at her label, which shows how much they know and only has now been put out because the tracks were leaked to fans who utterly loved it and took the pain to petition its release. If you haven't heard her, her debut album with 'Criminal' and 'Shadowboxer' may be more accessible first.

Prince of course has a millions songs worth checking out. Two songs to check out his range are 'Beautiful Ones' and 'How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore', each variously covered, but never bettered.

Of females, Lucinda Williams is perhaps the most poetic singer-songwriter around. Apt, considering her father is a major living poet. Her songs 'Are You Down', 'Changed the Locks', 'Essence' and 'Blue' each show off various aspects of her craft and are accessible introduction to one of the most underrated artists making music today.

If one is looking for a songwriter who wields words like weapons one can't go wrong with Elvis Costello. His backhanded 'Alison', dark and brooding 'Shabby Doll' are memorable.

Van Morisson's words and songs have soul and more. The nostalgic 'And it stoned me', the jazzy 'Moondance', the aching 'Tupelo Honey' and 'Warm Love', the primal 'Gloria' and 'Baby Please Don't Go', the joyously pop 'Brown-eyed Girl' and 'Cleaning Windows' and the oft-covered 'Have I Told You Lately' and 'Wild Night' are essential downloads.

'Divorce Song' by Liz Phair shows that she was Alanis before Alanis Morissette.

'My Old Man' and 'Big Yellow Taxi' by Joni Mitchell show that she was Liz Phair before Liz Phair.

Bonnie Raitt's 'Nick of Time' and 'I Can't Make You Love Me' offer a unique female voice that is worldly and at times weary, but always knowing.

Essential One Hit Wonders: One hit wonders are essential curios to download: The best have been Turning Japanese ('joyous' and 'subversive'). '99 Luftbaloons', 'Iko Iko', 'Sugar Sugar' by the Archie, 'Cool like That' by 'Digable Planets', 'Informer' by Snow, 'Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes', Everlast's 'What it's like' are all must-haves.

Singers: For pure beauty of voice, Eva Cassidy must surely rank high on any list. Her re-invention of Sting's 'Fields of Gold' is the first song to download. 'Dark End of the Street' should be another must-have track.

People seem to have forgotten that Elvis was actually the greatest male singer of all: his early recordings particularly with Sun Records show him in peak form ('Blue Moon', 'You're Right I am left', 'That's alright Mama', 'Mystery Train', 'Baby Let's Play House').

Piano Men: Piano men worth checking out are of course Billy Joel ('Just the Way You Are' 'The Longest Time', 'Vienna') and yes, even, Elton John (when he was cool). Ray Charles of course has been popularized by the move Ray; that still does not take away from the fact that 'Mess Around', 'Georgia On My Mind', 'What'd I Say' are essential tracks.

Punk: For sheer nasty edge check out the Stooges' 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' to see where punk came from and the Wildhearts' 'My Baby Is A' shows where it went on to peak.

Emo Punk: Dashboard Confessional ('Screaming Infidelities') and Jimmy Eat World (the rocking 'Your House', 'the Middle') might get all the publicity, but 'Photobooth' by Deathcab for Cutie is the essential emo song. Boy gets heart broken and pours his heart out with a drum machine and an acoustic guitar. Timeless stuff.

Classical: A little bit of classical music surely would not go amiss. Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons (Spring)' is possibly the most accessible. For intro to Opera check out the 'Madamina', 'It Catalogo Questo aria' from Mozart's Don Giovanni which perhaps was the perhaps the precursor to braggadocio raps of today. Locating and downloading the lyrics and translation are really worth the bother. Debussy's 'Claire De Lune' is eternally pretty.

Jazz: Chet Baker's 'My Funny Valentine' is staggering. Chet was the prettiest man who ever lived but also was a junkie dead ender who reportedly either had his teeth kicked in by his supplier or they just rotted from excessive drug use. Despite all this, the sheer beauty of his tracks is beguiling (or perhaps because of all this).

Louis Armstrong's snappy 'Hello Dolly' is bound to brighten your day. Ella Fitzgerald singing Cole Porter is an essential album (Ella Sings Cole Porter Songbook). Try the songs 'Too Darn Hot' or 'I Get a Kick Out of You' or 'Let's Do It' for the singing and the genius lyrics by Cole Porter. In instrumentalists few can top John Coltrane ('Lush Life', 'Blue Train') or Charlie 'Bird' Parker ('Star Eyes', 'Orinthology', 'Ko Ko', 'Lady Be Good') or for accessible Jazz check out 'Take Five' by the Dave Brubeck Quartet.

Soul: Otis Redding was easily the most impassioned soul man of them all: His 'Fa-Fa Song' or 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' show how much passion he could pour into the most ridiculous of words. 'Try a Little Tenderness', 'Sitting on the Dock of Bay' and 'Satisfaction' are the other essential tracks to dig up.

Joss Stone's reinvention of White Stripes' 'Fell in Love with a Boy' is essential. She seems to channel Janis Joplin's ghost on this and she is still only in her teens but sounds like a world weary black mama.

James Brown's debut song Please Please Please is essential.

Blues: The three kings rule guitar blues: B.B. King is King. 'Sweet Sixtee'n and 'Thrill is Gone' show why U2 worship him. Albert King's 'Crosscut Saw' and 'Born Under A Bad Sign' show him as a worthy pretender to B.B's throne. Freddie King with 'Hide Away' is an underrated gem and has been a chief inspiration of Eric Clapton.

Rap: If rap be your thing then NWA was possibly the most incendiary group you would ever come across ('F**k the Police'), 'Gangsta Gangsta'), US3 or Digable Planets or De La Soul the most laid back, or Public Enemy ('Welcome to the Terrordom'e, 'Fight the Power', 'He got Game') the most intelligent and interesting.

After 'Mahiya', Ainee is back with a brand new video, 'Princess'. The track in itself has neither the beat nor the catchiness of 'Mahiya'. It doesn't have that 'fun' element to it and makes for average listening at best. However, the video still deserves a watch just for the sake of Ainee. It is a performance-based video with Ainee changing outfits from one frame to another. In a collared white shirt and tie and long dreadlocks, Ainee just looks very hot! Another interesting to watch in the video is the rapping done by McClay. He has taken the rapping bit very seriously and is surely having fun while performing. The lighting of the video is very good. It's neither too dark nor too bright but is a perfect blend. 'Princess' is a Sohail Javed directed video and it must be said that he's made a great performance video here. This is a must check out. And speaking of Sohail Javed, another video done by him is 'Bichar Ke Bhi' for Call. Now, this video, unfortunate as it may be, has the most clichéd, done to death storyline there ever was. Girl meets boy, boy meets girl, love and then some running in rainfall at night. Yes, that's the plot. Alongside this storyline is the band Call sitting and performing. The song is another ballad but it doesn't have the 'Sab Bhula Key' quality to it and is a disappointment. Call has had some great songs to their name. 'Nishaan', 'Pukaar' and 'Sab Bhula Key'. However, this one is a ballad gone wrong. It is quite mundane. The only thing to lookout for in this video is the wardrobe for Call done by Munib Nawaz. All the guys are wearing colourful jackets with frilly sleeves and remind one of the old age of Kings and castles from fairytales. Watch this space for more on videos.

British rock star Pete Doherty is making news rather often recently. That has been mainly due to his drug habits, which also took Kate Moss down with him. Doherty's high profile supermodel girlfriend was dropped from major ad campaigns when she was seen snorting cocaine with her boyfriend in a video released on Internet. In the latest bout of drug madness, Doherty was questioned by Spanish authorities about a bloody syringe found aboard his flight from London. The pilot of the EasyJet flight called police to Barcelona Airport after crew reported finding the syringe in the plane's restroom, it was reported. The wary crew checked out the toilet after the Babyshambles guitarist 'spent an unusual amount of time in there' and later found him to be 'agitated and aggressive' when questioned about the discovery, an EasyJet spokeswoman said. As a result of the incident EasyJet has banned Babyshambles from its airline. The band was travelling to Barcelona to play at the Primavera Sound Festival. Talk about sex, drugs and rock 'n roll…

"MHB's vote number for the IM Awards is IME2 on 194. I just voted. Pass on the message to your friends and ask them to vote," came the SMS on mobile phones. The sender was Mekaal Hasan, the musician who will not sell out because he is an artist with integrity. And one laughed. One could have forgiven this from Faakhir or even Ali Zafar who are unabashedly commercial, but coming from Mekaal it was a real shocker. However he is not the only one. Another culprit is (surprise, surprise) Zeeshan Parwez of Sajid and Zeeshan.

When an awards show happens, these messages start flying around. With popular awards, it's not unheard of, this is how votes are gathered, but the band should never do it themselves. Their managers should. It is highly pompous to assume that everyone on your phone wants to vote for you. In good taste, a message asking people to vote for their favourite would've been a lot better.

And to send this message to members of the press, is possibly the biggest mistake ever. We sincerely hope they learn after this.

Think that these messages come from people who think that they are above awards is funnier still. At the last Lux Style Awards, after winning for Best Live Act, Mekaal gave one of the worst acceptance speeches ever. "Thank you for the award, but we are very good." It was an arrogant statement and come to think of it, so is the SMS.

Mekaal, dude, you are good, but you need to chill out, loosen up and take yourself less seriously!

1. Jalpari

- Atif Aslam

2. Social Circus

- Ali Azmat

3. Princess

- Ainee

4. Mantra

- Faakhir

5. Jilawatan

- Call

1. Gangster

2. Fanaa

3. Rang De Basanti

4. Parineeta

5. Aryan

1. Stadium Arcadium

- Red Hot Chilli Peppers

2. Pearl Jam 2006 - Pearl Jam

3. Let Love In - Goo Goo Dolls

4. Switch - Inxs

5. Ten Thousand Days - Tool