Kill me not

“Let him know that you know best
Cause after all you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you’ve told him all along
And pray to God he hears you”

– How to save a life by The Fray

There is a scene in the Bollywood flick 3 Idiots which shows a bright, young student hanging from the ceiling. The reason for the character’s suicide was that the administration wasn’t willing to grant him an extension in submitting his final project, which he couldn’t fully concentrate on owing to the students father’s ill health. Without the final project, the student would not be able to graduate and would have to leave the university. Hailing from a low-income family who had pitted their dreams and hopes in their son’s education, the pressure of disappointing them, causing them pain and of wasting all of the years he invested in his education proved to be more than he could handle. Post-funeral, Aamir Khan’s character reveals a chilling statistic: every two-and-a-half hours, a student in India commits suicide.

It doesn’t end here. According to statistics, approximately two million youth in the United States attempt suicide every year. The situation is worse in Japan which has one of the highest rates of suicide in an industrialized nation. The suicide rate in Japan has been largely perpetuated by worsening economic conditions leading to unemployment and social pressures. The rate for suicide is so high that rail companies in Japan now charge families – whose member has committed suicide by jumping in front of a train – a fee that varies according to the severity of disrupted traffic. In Japan, a popular method nowadays is to use household products to create a poisonous gas that would do the deed. This was largely perpetuated by internet websites springing up with instructions on how to create those gasses.  According to statistics, 876 suicides from January to September in 2008 resulted from the above-mentioned method. The internet is also largely responsible for the popularity of suicide pacts (shinjū) – a concept explained and made popular by the Japanese film, Suicide Club. Suicide in Japan is not criminalized and the culture considers it to be the ‘moral’ thing to do in certain situations. With such alarming statistics, however, the government of Japan has taken note and is taking steps in investigating the root causes, prevent, counter suicide and change public attitude towards it.

In the past two years, there have been reported cases of suicide among the youth of Pakistan as well. More publicized cases include that of a fourth-year student, Hashir Munnawar, at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), by handing himself in his hostel room last year. Hashir’s Grade Point Average (GPA) had fallen in the last quarter of his term due to which he was put on probation by the administration. Where some are critical in the manner in which the LUMS administration handled the event and of their policies regarding the education of their students, there are others who are of the opinion that “rules are rules”, that the person-in-question knew fully well the situation he was getting into and that the university is not (indirectly) responsible for his death. Whatever the stance, and whether Hashir had other reasons for taking the step that he did, the situation was eerily similar to the one mentioned above in the film 3 Idiots. The scene is perhaps repeated numerous times by different people in different places.
A much-loved, activist/artist  Asim Butt recently took his own life in the manner mentioned above – by hanging. The motives behind it aren’t exactly clear as yet but he leaves behind with him a strong body of work and a whole congregation of friends and well-wishers. His death sent shockwaves throughout the industry and, as publicized as his death may have been, his case isn’t an isolated one. Studies have shown that young people think or consider suicide more frequently than is generally perceived.

In most cases, suicide is a process, not an event. Statistically, eight out of ten suicide victims give out indications of their intent in their behaviour long before they actually carry out the deed. A myth surrounding suicide is that the victim wants to die. The truth is that a suicidal youth is in a lot of pain and they want that pain to end, and not necessarily by dying. Perpetuated by an inability to cope with the pain (in which their capacity to cope has been stretched to the limit), along with symptoms of a mental illness (depression being one of them) – to the suicidal youth the only release from the pain they can be taking their own life. The reason why very few suicidal youth are even willing to talk about their turmoil or their intent is because they’re afraid of being judged or discriminated. Having a sincere conversation with a potential victim without passing judgement or displaying fear can bring respite to that person. Providing support, a sincerity to help and a willingness to listen to the suicidal youth can greatly reduce chances of an attempt, by a person who may otherwise be feeling very isolated in their pain.

Groovin’ to House

Recently a representative from American Voices — an organisation based out of the US to promote youth empowerment through the performing arts and, in the process, spread awareness and appreciation of the American culture — held a Broadway dance workshop at the Body Beat dance studio. Those present included the director and choreographer of the studio, Hassan Rizvi, Made 4 Stage’s Nida Butt, VJ Anoushey Ashraf, VJ/film-maker Jibran Zuberi among others.

The workshop was conducted by Michael Parks Masterson (vocalist, dance choreographer and director) whereas other members of American Voices, John Ferguson (pianist and executive director) and Carole Hanna McCann (director, choreographer, and writer) were also there. One also spied George from the TV series George Ka Pakistan at the event.

The workshop spanned a little over an hour and focused on how to dance to House music. Parks’ direction included a basic understanding of timing, rhythm, poise, clarifying on the ‘working leg’ when dancing as well as a tips and information on the evolution of dancing to House and steps on how to improve your technique. After the workshop, students from the Body Beat dance studio along with Hasan Rizvi demonstrated a dance from one of their previous practice sessions.

American Voices came to Pakistan on the invitation of the US Consulate General. According to Nida Butt, the company hosting them here was also assisting them in conducting similar workshops at different venues throughout the city, one of which also at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. Members of Made 4 Stage have been receiving periodic training from members of American Voices which is supposed to culminate into a performance containing bits and pieces of an eclectic mix of different Broadway musicals.

– Photo by Kiran Iftakhar

MHB launches its second album, ‘Saptak’

Although the band’s album launch video of the single Chall Bulleya came out in September 2008, the Mekaal Hasan Band (MHB) have recently launched their album in Pakistan via The Musik Records (TMR). The record label seems to be headed for a comeback this year as they plan to release albums by other major bands, such as Overload and Karavan, this year as well.

The album launch concert took place at the Commune Artistes’ Colony in Karachi where the set had been done up to reflect an industrial look. The band performed singles off their new album which included the massively popular Jhok Ranjhan as well. Some of the other songs that they performed included Chall Bulleya, Albela, Sanwal, Waris Shah, Huns Dhun, Andholan, etc. all singles from Saptak. Their performance also included an acoustic set in which they performed three songs.

MHB is slated to tour internationally following the launch of their album. Saptak comes after a hiatus of five years from their last album, Sampooran.

– Photo by Zeeshan Haider

[Media Gallery]: Music that rocked Couture

Music that rocked couture

Shehryar Tariq's version of "Teray Ishq Nachaya" was a powerhouse of a performance - Photo by Kohi Marri

The venue has played host to some of the greatest music projects in the history of Pakistani pop. Image-maker extraordinaire Nabila had hosted a show that was an eclectic mix of art, fashion, folk and rock ‘n’ roll and had the audience seated in a circular seating arrangement with the band right in the center of the performance area. Making a formidable team with Ather Hafeez designing the costumes, Zain Mustafa for art direction, some of the best musicians in the country contributing to the music – Emu (keyboards), Shallum (lead guitars), Khalid (bass guitar) and Gumby (drums) – along with vocal talent in the form of Positive (Nazar and Yousuf), Saieen Tufail and Shehryar Tariq, Nabila made sure that the event was an experience that appeased and excited both the visual and the sound sensibilities of those present.

The evening opened with the duo behind Positive, Nazar and Yousuf, lending their vocals to a recorded track that was played while the band performed live to it. Their vocals belted out a Sindhi ‘Vai’ derived from Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai’s poetry. It started the evening off on a somewhat broody, dark, yet intense note. The house band – which has played together on more than just several occasions – infused the energy into the performance. Their comfortable chemistry came out from not only having played together for years but also as good friends added to the high-energy yet free-flowing music that they created. “Normally, it’s the other way around,” said a visibly-happy Emu after the performance, “you have a performance where the vocalist is the only one performing live and the rest of the music is played to the audience via a CD. For this track, we did the opposite. And it wasn’t easy.”

Saieen Tufail, a prominent musician in his own right was the next to take to the stage. Tufail is blessed with a haunting vocal tone that is instantly recognisable. A seasoned musician who became a household name after appearing in Coke Studio (CS) season one, Tufail was at home performing one of Bulleh Shah’s kalaam, Alam, for the audience. The show in itself was also a testimony to how CS has managed to change perceptions and bring about an experimentation in music where fusing the folk and the rock/pop element are concerned. In his performance, Tufail showed off his vocal virtuosity while the band followed his lead. It must be mentioned here that Tufail (who had been given a full wardrobe) and the band members had been styled by the designer, Ather Hafeez, as well. Also sitting in the gallery area during Tufail’s performance the designer mentioned that he took inspiration from the Sufi culture for this collection. For the next performance however, he preferred a more ‘grounded’ view and pretty soon, one saw him sneaking into and settling in the main audience area.

The surprise of the evening and one who left a lasting impression on the audience was definitely Shehryar Tariq. Equipped with a masterful voice, he took Tufail’s cue and led the audience into a powerful, rocked-up rendition of Bulleh Shah’s Teray Ishq Nachaya. It was a popular number often associated with the Sufi queen, Abida Parveen, as it is a signautre track in her performances. His recital was a show of vocal strength as he belted verse after verse, often louder than the band, with the audience encouraging him with their applause. His performance closed the evening on a high note. And the event seemed to end a little too soon, leaving the audience wanting for more. Right now, what one needs is a recorded audio version of the performances. Music that rocks couture, while infusing a bit of soul here and there, is definitely an experience that needs to be shared.

Gunkali: food for the soul

This is a well-deserved, happy time for Kaavish. Just several weeks into its much-anticipated release, the band’s debut album, Gunkali, is slated to be the first hit album of the year – and not without reason. The band perhaps spent as much time working on their album, recording (and re-recording) it in the studio as their record label took to release it. Gunkali – which is defined as a morning raag – is a labour of love that began its journey towards its audience when Kaavish released their first ever music video, the Umar Anwar-directed Bachpan, and in turn giving a small flavour of the kind of music the was working on.

The video, despite its somewhat in-your-face and depressing subject (death and the rituals and the grief surrounding it) managed to make its mark on local audiences and not just for the shock value of the video. The sound was Pakistani pop alright, but carried a well-thought, constructed maturity with it that prevented their music from sounding incomplete or shallow. The band, it seemed, knew exactly what they were doing and what their music was all about.

The video of Choti Khushiyaan (directed by Umar Amanullah) followed the release of Bachpan and attempted to show a lighter side to the band – it showed a bunch of friends enjoying a random day at the beach. Their third video was the beautifully-shot Teray Pyaar Mein (also directed by Umar Anwar) which had cameo appearances by Arshad Mahmud and Javed Iqbal. In between, they even won a The Musik Award (TMA) as the Best Newcomer Act in the first TMAs that were held. Then there was nothing – only mounting expectations and unconfirmed dates regarding release of their debut album.

Their album was expected to find a release in 2008. It didn’t. The drummer from the band, Raheel Manzar Paul, parted ways in November 2008, days before Kaavish was to go in for the recording of their album-launch video, Moray Sayyaan (directed by Sohail Javed), causing only a minor controversy. Fingers were kept crossed that their album would find a release in 2009. It didn’t. At this point, a valid concern was that the delay might cause the album to sound old, dated. With the album now released in early 2010, and after listening to the final material, one can safely say: it doesn’t (sound dated). In fact, Gunkali is one of the strongest albums to come out from the Pakistani pop music industry.

The band spent many, many hours at Faisal Rafi’s Silent Music Studios working on the album. This period also saw Maaz Maudood from the band, pick up the guitar and hone his skills on playing rhythm. It saw a collaboration of an impressive ensemble of musicians in the album. These include the likes of Omran Shafique (lead guitar), Khalid Khan (bass), Gumby (drums), Javed Iqbal (violins), Abbas Premjee (lead nylon-string guitar), Aamir Zaki (lead guitar), Rahat Ali (flute), Shallum Xavier (lead guitar), Nafees Ahmed (sitar), Jaffer Zaidi himself (on paino and vocals) and Islaamuddin sahib and crew for the string section, among others. The songs have predominantly been written by Jaffer Zaidi, Maaz Maudood, Nayyara Noor and Arshad Mahmud. Perhaps it is the inclusion of the latter two which lends a mature, old-school tone to Kaavish’s music. Or it could simply be because Jaffer – who’s composed most of the songs – actually has a really old soul!

You wouldn’t know it if you didn’t listen to the lyrics closely enough, because the music cleverly belie their actual gravity. Lyrically, the album is heavy on nostalgia. Most of the songs –from Bachpan, Sun Zara, Teray Pyaar Mein, Moray Sayyan etc – speak off, or are appealing to a person, an identity or an impression left in the past. The album overall is heavily-laden with emotion and the orchestral music reflects it. The band has ambitions of bringing that orchestral music in their live performance some day. One can only hope that that they will succeed in doing so.

Piano heavy, this album is a display of Jaffer’s soulful playing skills. Not to take away from the ensemble of musicians who have contributed to the album, but it is perhaps this element that adds that extra dimension to the album and which sets it apart from the other rock/pop bodies of work currently being released by the bands’ contemporaries. Maaz lends his vocals in Koi Hai Toh Sahee in a duet of sorts of Jaffer. The song is quite a delight to listen to and lyrically, it speaks in tones of confident optimism.

Credit needs to be given to the band’s producer, Faisal Rafi, who painstakingly nurtured the album, helping it grow into the musical masterpiece it is now. Gunkali is the kind of work that stays with you – the melody resonates within – long after you have stopped listening to it. The album is sonically rich in not only lyrics, but most importantly, in the music that it contains. Each instrument is distinct, every note is clear and it all comes together in an experience that taps into that part of us that makes us human: our emotions. And it does so ever so subtly and always leaves the listener a feeling of being enriched. It is an album reaches out for your soul… and it was well worth the wait!

[DAWN BLOG ENTRY #4] BACKSTAGE ACCESS: “I am a ‘s-a-x’ symbol” – Meera

Click on photo in order to be directed to the blog entry on Dawn.com

Photo by Fayyaz Ahmed

 

Profile shoot: Meera

Wardrobe: Sonya Battla for Meera & Ahmed Bham for Momo
Photography: Fayyaz Ahmed
Hair & make-up: Sajid
Styling: Madeeha Syed for Meera & Ahmed Bham for Momo
Male mode: Syed Mohtashim ‘Momo’ Ali
Fashion Editor & co-ordination: Madeeha Syed

Profile shoot: Gumby, Khalid Khan & Omran ‘Momo’ Shafique

Wardrobe: Kash Hussain
Photography: Fayyaz Ahmed
Styling: Sajid
Models: Gumby, Khalid Khan & Omran ‘Momo’ Shafique
Fashion Editor & co-ordination: Madeeha Syed

The lure of the cinema

With the influx of both Hollywood and Bollywood films, the cinema culture in our country is on the rise. One noticed that the time Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man’s Chest was playing in local theatres. The cinema was always full and I knew people who went to see it not once, but several times. What’s interesting to note is that for most individuals living on the “privileged” side of the Metropolitan, the word “cinema house” begins and ends with the (relatively) new Cineplex in the DHA area.

There was a time when Karachi had a thriving cinema culture. My parents only speak of the days when they would often head off to “the pictures” after school. If driving down the streets of Saddar (and related areas) they point out all the places which used to house a cinema, which ones were popular, what cinemas had what genre of films etc. Some of the old cinema houses still stand stoically there. Having frequented them during my short stint at college I was surprised to find out they’re quite comfortable. Not to mention the screens are huge in comparison to what was one previously accustomed to seeing. The ticket is cheaper and so is the popcorn, the only problem is that it’s not located in the posh side of town. When I once suggested to a group of individuals that we go there instead, I was confronted by looks of shock and horror. It was as if I had blasphemised against the “Religion of the Cinema House” or something and would need to be exorcised in order to “return” to my senses.

Irrespective of where you chose to experience cinema (and for the record, certain celebrities prefer the old cinema houses so in order not to bump into bumbling fans), anyone who’s been to the place has stories to tell. Once when my cousin and I decided to watch an animated film (read: cartoon) we walked in and heard a six-year-old boy protest to his mother “but they’re not children!” I assume his mother had told him the film (Monsters Vs Aliens) was for ‘little’ folk. However, his mother was quick to respond with “Off course they are sweetie… they’re just ‘grown-up’ children!”

Although screaming and crying children are one of the most annoying features of people who go to the cinema – they destroy the entire film for other attendees and parents should know better than to bring their offspring if they’re not going to behave – they’re also responsible for some of the most amusing comments overheard while at the movies. In one incident, the moment Federation Captain Richard Robau (acted by our very own home-grown talent, Farhan Haroon Tariq) comes on screen in Star Trek (2009), one kid in the front row turns to another and says candidly, “arey, yeh to tera mamoo jaisa lagta hai!” (Hey! He looks like your uncle!). It was said so innocently that for once, that I’m sure most didn’t mind the vocal obstruction by that little one that took place in the middle of the film.

There are some pitfalls to attending going to the movies as well. one of the most annoying thing to experience (other than cell phones ringing in the middle of the film, the electricity going out, people talking etc) is when someone tall sits in front of you blocking half your screen. Tall people should learn the art of either crouching low on their chairs for the benefits of others or taking a ticket for the back row. With a tall person blocking your view, it becomes a pain for little people (like yours truly) to fully experience the film without a black blob focused on half the screen.