Tune in to Koffee with Karan

After a phenomenal success with the first season last year, Karan Johar is all set for a second round of Koffee with Karan, a talk show best remembered for bringing some of the hottest stars of Bollywood and their sizzling lives to the forefront. It set the trend for the 'rapid fire round' now taken up by many local channels as well. The show is back and that too with a bigger bang! It will reportedly open with Karan's favourite actor, SRK, lucky mascot Kajol and Rani Mukerji. Other big names to follow will include John Abraham and Bipasha Basu (together), Dhoom man Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kunal Kapoor and Riteish Deshmukh,
muscle man Shahid Kapoor with girlfriend Kareena and Karisma Kapoor. One highly exciting guest will be director Ram Gopal Varma who has been reportedly badmouthing KJ's films. It'll be interesting to see what Ramu will say to Karan, face-to-face. Speaking on the comeback, Karan Johar commented, "The show is supposed to be fun. I've a sense of humour. I hope my guests have it too. I can poke fun at myself. No one should take themselves seriously on the show." We agree, it's always fun to see SRK and Kajol team-up against Karan. And hey, there has been no mention of any Bachchan coming back to the show. Is it because of SRK and their rivalry? Who knows, but for now, gear up as KJ is making a strong comeback.
Special guests on KBC
It's a classic case of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours – in this case it's Shahrukh Khan and Karan Johar scratching each other. Where KJ will open his talk show with SRK, SRK is going to return the favour by calling KJ and Farah Khan on the friendship special episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati. This episode is supposedly airing tonight so do watch out for it. If one remembers correctly, Karan has previously come to KBC but never as a contestant. He came to support Shahrukh when he was on the hotseat, back in the days when Amitabh Bachchan was hosting KBC. Both Farah and Karan share a fantastic equation with SRK so the show
should be much more fun. And speaking of Farah Khan, she has given up her role as a judge on Indian Idol as she is currently busy with shoots for her second directorial venture with Shahrukh Khan. It has become quite a love triangle hasn't it? Wonder where Amitabh Bachchan figures in this equation. Every love story does require a villain and he may just fit the bill. Coming back to KBC, other special guests include Farhan and Zoya Akhtar for Brother-Sister day special and hot babe, Malaika Arora-Khan and hubby Arbaaz Khan for Valentine's Day special. It promises to be a fun season.

Tune in to Koffee with Karan

After a phenomenal success with the first season last year, Karan Johar is all set for a second round of Koffee with Karan, a talk show best remembered for bringing some of the hottest stars of Bollywood and their sizzling lives to the forefront. It set the trend for the 'rapid fire round' now taken up by many local channels as well. The show is back and that too with a bigger bang! It will reportedly open with Karan's favourite actor, SRK, lucky mascot Kajol and Rani Mukerji. Other big names to follow will include John Abraham and Bipasha Basu (together), Dhoom man Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kunal Kapoor and Riteish Deshmukh,
muscle man Shahid Kapoor with girlfriend Kareena and Karisma Kapoor. One highly exciting guest will be director Ram Gopal Varma who has been reportedly badmouthing KJ's films. It'll be interesting to see what Ramu will say to Karan, face-to-face. Speaking on the comeback, Karan Johar commented, "The show is supposed to be fun. I've a sense of humour. I hope my guests have it too. I can poke fun at myself. No one should take themselves seriously on the show." We agree, it's always fun to see SRK and Kajol team-up against Karan. And hey, there has been no mention of any Bachchan coming back to the show. Is it because of SRK and their rivalry? Who knows, but for now, gear up as KJ is making a strong comeback.
Special guests on KBC
It's a classic case of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours – in this case it's Shahrukh Khan and Karan Johar scratching each other. Where KJ will open his talk show with SRK, SRK is going to return the favour by calling KJ and Farah Khan on the friendship special episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati. This episode is supposedly airing tonight so do watch out for it. If one remembers correctly, Karan has previously come to KBC but never as a contestant. He came to support Shahrukh when he was on the hotseat, back in the days when Amitabh Bachchan was hosting KBC. Both Farah and Karan share a fantastic equation with SRK so the show
should be much more fun. And speaking of Farah Khan, she has given up her role as a judge on Indian Idol as she is currently busy with shoots for her second directorial venture with Shahrukh Khan. It has become quite a love triangle hasn't it? Wonder where Amitabh Bachchan figures in this equation. Every love story does require a villain and he may just fit the bill. Coming back to KBC, other special guests include Farhan and Zoya Akhtar for Brother-Sister day special and hot babe, Malaika Arora-Khan and hubby Arbaaz Khan for Valentine's Day special. It promises to be a fun season.

Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week C

It doesn't end there. Fashion shows are not about showing to a select gathering of corporate clients who will enjoy the sight of beautiful women as they enjoy their lobster thermidors, not knowing the difference between a balero and a balconnet; neither are they about product launches and models rising out of shampoo bottles or shows held on foreign lands achieving nothing but twenty minutes of glory.

Fashion in the twenty first century is about business and Pakistan Fashion Week will be about generating a steady cycle of investment.

PFW may not be able to cleanse internal politics but as far as the shows go, it will put all designers on an equal footing, to be approved for prime positioning by a group of experts. The power game of musical chairs will be over and only the 'selected few' will be allowed a place on the hot seat. Designers will not be allowed to judge other designers and the vague words like 'pioneers', 'traditionalists' and 'revivalists' will be replaced by 'those who got orders' and 'those who didn't'.

Fashion terminology will evolve, classifying designers with successful shows (and hopefully eventual sales) as the new breed of pioneers.

Fashion heroes will be selling to the buyers not just the wealthy begums. After all, stalwarts like Oscar de la Renta, Georgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld and Ralph Lauren haven't made it to the top for initiating trends three decades ago. They haven't become iconic by operating a business from one solitary store or by never showing a true collection at all. There will be no self acclaimed kings at PFW and this process of selection will separate the curd from the cream.

Then there will be surprises. Designers that have always been backbenchers may just may it to the spotlight and newcomers with a promise of ingenuity will most definitely be welcomed on board. One would hope to see Vinnie show her prêt line at PFW, for one. One would want to see Maheen Karim and Munib Nawaz on the ramp and hopefully there will be other rising stars too.

The general scale of expansion will be huge. To certify smooth operations, the entire industry will have to be roped in - stylists, photographers and choreographers et al without pride or prejudices being hurt. That means no more one man shows; no more dictation of who won't work with whom.

Designers will have the privilege to choose their own groups but in essence everyone will be working together for the same cause.

Then a group of approximately forty models will have to be culled from Pakistan and that'll mean intensive auditioning and training. The tall, young and well toned ones will walk forward and unprofessional misfits will be shown the back door. Results will unleash a troupe of beauties onto the much starved runways.

IMG will also be looking for a face from Pakistan to add to IMG models.

These small steps will constitute a massive step forward for fashion.

The media juggernaut that develops around the time PFW is held will be crackling. Front row celebrities will be brought in and/or subsequently created to raise show profiles.

Media coverage will be huge and for once, the fashion industry will understand that a designer is only as big as the business he generates and the media attention he gets.

PFW most certainly will make headlines with the international media, as well as being boosted by local newspapers. The coverage, as one expects, will be eye candy.

Other than the established fashion community, PFW can also benefit fashion students. Not only can they be brought in to intern backstage as this hands on experience would be better than any text book research, but it could also eventually benefit talented individuals in a scheme similar to the Council of Fashion Designers of America that has a regular CFDA scholarship that sponsors brilliant students to establish their own businesses after they graduate.

There really is a lot to look forward to and again, this change will excite some while also making others insecure. But PFW will provide excellent learning ground for the entire industry before it grows strong enough to stand on its own two feet. No one in Pakistan has the experience of operating an event this big, but the reassurance one needs to digest a project this huge comes with IMG. Pakistan Fashion Week is exactly what local fashion needs to truly become an industry.

Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week C

It doesn't end there. Fashion shows are not about showing to a select gathering of corporate clients who will enjoy the sight of beautiful women as they enjoy their lobster thermidors, not knowing the difference between a balero and a balconnet; neither are they about product launches and models rising out of shampoo bottles or shows held on foreign lands achieving nothing but twenty minutes of glory.

Fashion in the twenty first century is about business and Pakistan Fashion Week will be about generating a steady cycle of investment.

PFW may not be able to cleanse internal politics but as far as the shows go, it will put all designers on an equal footing, to be approved for prime positioning by a group of experts. The power game of musical chairs will be over and only the 'selected few' will be allowed a place on the hot seat. Designers will not be allowed to judge other designers and the vague words like 'pioneers', 'traditionalists' and 'revivalists' will be replaced by 'those who got orders' and 'those who didn't'.

Fashion terminology will evolve, classifying designers with successful shows (and hopefully eventual sales) as the new breed of pioneers.

Fashion heroes will be selling to the buyers not just the wealthy begums. After all, stalwarts like Oscar de la Renta, Georgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld and Ralph Lauren haven't made it to the top for initiating trends three decades ago. They haven't become iconic by operating a business from one solitary store or by never showing a true collection at all. There will be no self acclaimed kings at PFW and this process of selection will separate the curd from the cream.

Then there will be surprises. Designers that have always been backbenchers may just may it to the spotlight and newcomers with a promise of ingenuity will most definitely be welcomed on board. One would hope to see Vinnie show her prêt line at PFW, for one. One would want to see Maheen Karim and Munib Nawaz on the ramp and hopefully there will be other rising stars too.

The general scale of expansion will be huge. To certify smooth operations, the entire industry will have to be roped in - stylists, photographers and choreographers et al without pride or prejudices being hurt. That means no more one man shows; no more dictation of who won't work with whom.

Designers will have the privilege to choose their own groups but in essence everyone will be working together for the same cause.

Then a group of approximately forty models will have to be culled from Pakistan and that'll mean intensive auditioning and training. The tall, young and well toned ones will walk forward and unprofessional misfits will be shown the back door. Results will unleash a troupe of beauties onto the much starved runways.

IMG will also be looking for a face from Pakistan to add to IMG models.

These small steps will constitute a massive step forward for fashion.

The media juggernaut that develops around the time PFW is held will be crackling. Front row celebrities will be brought in and/or subsequently created to raise show profiles.

Media coverage will be huge and for once, the fashion industry will understand that a designer is only as big as the business he generates and the media attention he gets.

PFW most certainly will make headlines with the international media, as well as being boosted by local newspapers. The coverage, as one expects, will be eye candy.

Other than the established fashion community, PFW can also benefit fashion students. Not only can they be brought in to intern backstage as this hands on experience would be better than any text book research, but it could also eventually benefit talented individuals in a scheme similar to the Council of Fashion Designers of America that has a regular CFDA scholarship that sponsors brilliant students to establish their own businesses after they graduate.

There really is a lot to look forward to and again, this change will excite some while also making others insecure. But PFW will provide excellent learning ground for the entire industry before it grows strong enough to stand on its own two feet. No one in Pakistan has the experience of operating an event this big, but the reassurance one needs to digest a project this huge comes with IMG. Pakistan Fashion Week is exactly what local fashion needs to truly become an industry.

Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week B

Let's be realistic. Ever since the rift between Karachi and Lahore resulted in the formation of two councils, there was no chance that Pakistani fashion could emerge in any effective way. There weren't many creative forces to begin with and divided, there were even less. If possible, the rift made the politics uglier and the giants became dragons. The first thing Pakistan Fashion Week achieved was to put designers back on the same wavelength. Those who until recently couldn't stand the sight of each other's face, were suddenly seeing eye to eye. Members of both Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) and Fashion Pakistan (FP) shared the same space at the preliminary meetings (held in Karachi and Lahore) and did not end up slitting each other's throats as they almost managed to do at the last council meeting held in united presence. Dragons and demons were put to rest, even if temporarily. The announcement of Pakistan Fashion Week induced enough competition for FP to immediately start planning Karachi Couture Week and for sure, one does expect to hear a similar announcement from PFDC too.
There cannot be enough of a good thing and these waves of movement will most definitely create more opportunities for everyone. Jolly Good. Where PFW will promote prêt, at best KCW (when and if it happens) would continue to revive the very valuable traditions of Pakistani crafts. However, it will be a 'council event' and that means it will leave out a substantial number of designers who are not in FP. Ditto for any event organised by PFDC. When the industry split into two camps with splinters of 'independent' designers, fashion diminshed as a force to be reckoned with. To bring all designers onto one platform, a fashion week independent of both councils is exactly what the doctor ordered. If one is to go by the rules of any IMG-operated fashion week, PFW will be an affair to remember.
Just to picture Maheen, Sonya Battla, Imrana Ahmad, Karma, Nomi Ansari and HSY on the same runway is a mouthwatering thought and this reunion, when culminating at PFW, promises to be a finale of epic proportions. That thought alone, holds the promise of a new and brighter future for fashion which can be repeated neither by FP nor PFDC unless they unite. Consequently, the sheer impact of PFW will be unparalled. For similar reasons, Pakistan Fashion Week's impact on general fashion trends in Pakistan will be more effective. Hopefully corporations like Chen One, Bareeze and Haji Karim Buksh and Men's Store will attend as prospective local buyers, introducing fashion designers on their panels of retail clothing. Clothes we see on racks of these stores are seldom trendy enough to qualify as fashion but the day we see Karma for Chen One, Rizwan Beyg for Bareeze or Imrana Ahmad for HKB, a dramatic change will be seen on the images we see on the streets. It's not a far fetched scheme. If Karl Lagerfeld can design for H&M, Isaac Mizrahi and Proenza Schouler for Target then why shouldn't local fashion be made affordable too? Fashion is a luxurious dream everyone should have the right to afford and PFW will help make that possible by regulating collections.

Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week B

Let's be realistic. Ever since the rift between Karachi and Lahore resulted in the formation of two councils, there was no chance that Pakistani fashion could emerge in any effective way. There weren't many creative forces to begin with and divided, there were even less. If possible, the rift made the politics uglier and the giants became dragons. The first thing Pakistan Fashion Week achieved was to put designers back on the same wavelength. Those who until recently couldn't stand the sight of each other's face, were suddenly seeing eye to eye. Members of both Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) and Fashion Pakistan (FP) shared the same space at the preliminary meetings (held in Karachi and Lahore) and did not end up slitting each other's throats as they almost managed to do at the last council meeting held in united presence. Dragons and demons were put to rest, even if temporarily. The announcement of Pakistan Fashion Week induced enough competition for FP to immediately start planning Karachi Couture Week and for sure, one does expect to hear a similar announcement from PFDC too.
There cannot be enough of a good thing and these waves of movement will most definitely create more opportunities for everyone. Jolly Good. Where PFW will promote prêt, at best KCW (when and if it happens) would continue to revive the very valuable traditions of Pakistani crafts. However, it will be a 'council event' and that means it will leave out a substantial number of designers who are not in FP. Ditto for any event organised by PFDC. When the industry split into two camps with splinters of 'independent' designers, fashion diminshed as a force to be reckoned with. To bring all designers onto one platform, a fashion week independent of both councils is exactly what the doctor ordered. If one is to go by the rules of any IMG-operated fashion week, PFW will be an affair to remember.
Just to picture Maheen, Sonya Battla, Imrana Ahmad, Karma, Nomi Ansari and HSY on the same runway is a mouthwatering thought and this reunion, when culminating at PFW, promises to be a finale of epic proportions. That thought alone, holds the promise of a new and brighter future for fashion which can be repeated neither by FP nor PFDC unless they unite. Consequently, the sheer impact of PFW will be unparalled. For similar reasons, Pakistan Fashion Week's impact on general fashion trends in Pakistan will be more effective. Hopefully corporations like Chen One, Bareeze and Haji Karim Buksh and Men's Store will attend as prospective local buyers, introducing fashion designers on their panels of retail clothing. Clothes we see on racks of these stores are seldom trendy enough to qualify as fashion but the day we see Karma for Chen One, Rizwan Beyg for Bareeze or Imrana Ahmad for HKB, a dramatic change will be seen on the images we see on the streets. It's not a far fetched scheme. If Karl Lagerfeld can design for H&M, Isaac Mizrahi and Proenza Schouler for Target then why shouldn't local fashion be made affordable too? Fashion is a luxurious dream everyone should have the right to afford and PFW will help make that possible by regulating collections.

Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week A

instep analysis Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week Fashion has come a long way in Pakistan but even after forty years of evolution, it still hasn't acquired the credibility or discipline that comes with an international profile. With IMG providing the backbone, Pakistan Fashion Week will help achieve what the fashion community has not managed to do on its own - it will regularize fashion as a business and elevate clan-controlled cottages into an industry because that's exactly what fashion weeks do around the world. By Aamna Haider Isani
There have been no formal announcements yet, only a press-meet with Simon Lock, the man who comes with the warranty of IMG, an enterprise that has put almost all high profile fashion weeks on the map including the highly impressive accounts in New York, Milan and closer to home, India. The right deal has brought IMG to Pakistan and what we see unfolding is probably going to be the biggest opportunity to take Pakistani fashion places. If things go by standard procedure then Pakistan Fashion Week will hopefully become the most defining moment in the history of Pakistani fashion. The event has already been added to the official IMG website and honestly, it looks good sitting there as the latest addition to a very impressive lineup of fashion weeks. Not much information has been made public as yet, but even the buzz generated from underground activity has been enough to breed excitement amongst some designers as well as palpable unease amongst others.
Handing Pakistan Fashion Week over to IMG may for some individuals be like giving up a carefully nurtured flower that promises to bloom any day but for realists who have seen the industry nosedive one time too many, it is a step that needed to be taken to prevent fashion from withering away under the weight of city divides, monopolies, unethical practices, untalented parasites and crippling politics. If all goes well in the run up to PFW in November this year, all weeds will have been pulled out, allowing a thousand flowers to bloom. The exchange of energy passing through fashion doorways to that date will be monumental.

Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week A

instep analysis Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week Fashion has come a long way in Pakistan but even after forty years of evolution, it still hasn't acquired the credibility or discipline that comes with an international profile. With IMG providing the backbone, Pakistan Fashion Week will help achieve what the fashion community has not managed to do on its own - it will regularize fashion as a business and elevate clan-controlled cottages into an industry because that's exactly what fashion weeks do around the world. By Aamna Haider Isani
There have been no formal announcements yet, only a press-meet with Simon Lock, the man who comes with the warranty of IMG, an enterprise that has put almost all high profile fashion weeks on the map including the highly impressive accounts in New York, Milan and closer to home, India. The right deal has brought IMG to Pakistan and what we see unfolding is probably going to be the biggest opportunity to take Pakistani fashion places. If things go by standard procedure then Pakistan Fashion Week will hopefully become the most defining moment in the history of Pakistani fashion. The event has already been added to the official IMG website and honestly, it looks good sitting there as the latest addition to a very impressive lineup of fashion weeks. Not much information has been made public as yet, but even the buzz generated from underground activity has been enough to breed excitement amongst some designers as well as palpable unease amongst others.
Handing Pakistan Fashion Week over to IMG may for some individuals be like giving up a carefully nurtured flower that promises to bloom any day but for realists who have seen the industry nosedive one time too many, it is a step that needed to be taken to prevent fashion from withering away under the weight of city divides, monopolies, unethical practices, untalented parasites and crippling politics. If all goes well in the run up to PFW in November this year, all weeds will have been pulled out, allowing a thousand flowers to bloom. The exchange of energy passing through fashion doorways to that date will be monumental.

Atif Aslam Gets Candid B

"Doorie is a commercial hit in the UK, Canada, and USA; it's everywhere now. So the first Pakistani artiste is basically out there in the world. Not just in India," he says. And then abruptly he remarks, "I knew that people were going to criticize me like anything. There was this journalist, who wrote a critical review about my album Doorie. That what is this album and why is it like this? I felt glad about that, because she was so concerned about my album. She criticized it completely and the next week Channel V declared Doorie the best album in India. I want to tell my critics that I'm doing it my way," he insists. Atif is averse to criticism, because to him, the success of his plan to make it big is perhaps bigger than his music integrity. In that, he speaks more like a manager than a musician.
"Doorie has brought along an international change and Aadat was limited to Pakistan and to a small circle of people at that. After Doorie, I am getting offers from places like South Africa. No Pakistani artiste has ever been called to South Africa." However, Atif with all his stardom, could not gain complete control over his album or the way he was projected and he admits this readily. "When the album Doorie was released I was consulted on all the inlays, on what picture should be there, the designs etc. The write up however wasn't to my temperament at all. And if you see the heart-shaped logo with the caption 'In this lifetime or the next' that was so cheap! I wanted the logo be removed, but it wasn't. Even in the video, there was a girl and you can put her in a sensuous way but at the end of the day you can't tell the director what his job is!" Atif's volcano rumbles, but he is still proud that he played the game and got what he wanted out of it. The director Kuki Gulati may have extremely poor taste, so ditch him! Why go along, make C-Grade music videos, hug the girls, or did the editor morph those scenes? "Yes, I was hugging the girls," Atif admits. "I think that was a requirement because the Indian audience can never accept my 'stupid' 'Mahi Vey' video or my 'stupid' 'Rangoun Mein' video. They have a different concept about a pop or a rock icon. He has to be a heart throb. Girls here can't sit on motor bikes, in India girls ride them. It's a different culture altogether. They (my Indian videos) are for an international audience. However you can see the weird expression I had in the last scene of the song 'Doorie' when I'm hugging the girl. People have said that it looked like I had played an Inzamam innings and was run out." Atif laughs, then sighs softly, "Personally speaking I don't want to associate myself with any of the people out there. But eventually if I don't put in a girl in my videos, people would think something's wrong with me." This hasn't been the first time that Atif has been singed by the Indian entertainment industry. Atif's credits were chopped off the soundtrack of the movie Zeher for the song 'Woh Lamhe', and the movie's music director and lyricist went on to bag an award for the song. "Eventually I had to pay the price," Atif admits. But has he learnt a lesson? Judging from his recent Doorie, it seems not. India is too viable a market. "I personally think that is the market. Honestly speaking there was a slump here- that there was no label here; and that was intentionally done. My move was to release Doorie internationally, so that I could tell people that this is the first album that has been released all over the world. All the artists who are going to India will definitely boost other artists. I have referred a few Pakistani singers myself. The Indians don't have the melodies or original music coming out. There was a time when R.D. Burman had such good melodies, lyrics and arrangements, that's not happening now. Everything is run of the mill as they have to produce and produce that there is no original music anymore. That is why they are more interested in the original music coming from the Pakistani side- from Pakistani boys who are picking up their guitars." Atif adds, "Indians don't have a market for pop songs. They don't have any band. Bollywood markets so much for one movie that there is no space for any other type of music. But after my album became a best seller, a lot of people especially companies are interested in releasing new talent." Atif's eyes beam with delight. He has successfully marketed himself as a pop idol in India, when even Indian idols have burnt out shortly after their debut on the touted show. When speaking of companies, could corporate sponsorship be far behind? Do we really need paan masalas to promote and brand music? He shrugs and replies, "In Pakistan, corporate sponsorship is really important, because the artiste cannot sell his album on his own. You need to be on the billboards, unless and until you product is very very big! Nowadays people believe that a song should have a good video; the guy should have a good presentation. You have to be on the boards to let people know that the album is out! You have to be on screen 24/7." If that is the case then why was Doorie out without so much as a whimper? With a mischievous smile, Atif confides, "Whenever there is a controversy there is hype and I love controversies. People will ask what the hell is happening; what is he doing? Why did he do this in this video and that video?" Atif begins to swing to the next extreme, "Other than that, like I said that this wasn't my kind of music so I wasn't interested in giving interviews or coming on TV for it. Now my second album basically is an ATIF style album and I am planning to release it. For that I will be giving interviews and press conferences. Because for that album, people themselves would create the hype. I want to do interviews for that album not for this. The Pakistani nation is such that which ever side you push them they go. If they see a song on B4U, they will say kia baat hai yaar! Eventually this is what has been happening, I have been their artist-of-the-month on Channel V, B4U, MTV and it was a record that when I went to India, I did 16 interviews for TV channels." But then why is Atif reclusive whenever it came to interviews of any sort especially in Pakistan. "Everywhere in the world, the artists get royalties for their videos. Here the channels ask the artist to come and do their show - a show which is branded. The channels are paid, who tell the corporations that they will provide the artist and pay the artist who actually doesn't get a paisa. I'm strictly against this. I'm not doing TV shows. If my fans want to know why this is so, then they should know that there should be at least one to say that unless and until the artist is paid, we wont do your bidding. We are not just entertainers." Atif has more on his chest and he warms up to let it off. "A lot of changes are needed in Pakistan. There should be a Copyright Act that is actually implemented. And then people here need to open up their minds. There is so much criticism that it's unbelievable. If someone is doing a good job, let him be." Switching gears, we turned towards to his new ventures. If Atif oscillates from disinterest to pride on Doorie then he is definitely passionate and focused about Hungami Haalat, his next album- the Atif style album. "It's entirely different from Doorie. It has no commercial aspect. It's just Atif, and I have sung my heart out. In Doorie I couldn't be myself, except for certain minute areas like the song 'Kuch Iss Tarha' which is very close to my heart. With regard to the new album, I know how much hard work has gone into it, how much I've learnt and only I know how I wrote and composed the songs." Atif sums up his strategy again, "I will be doing more commercial music because my aim is that people be excited about my commercial side and then also lend an ear to my style of music too. I want an audience to my voice and then mould them to my style of music. And then let them know that listen this is me- and introduce my music all over the world." Atif vrooms off with his words ringing in my ears. He wants the world and India is his platform to get there. He may have sold himself short and stooped to Bollywood standards doing videos that have even made him cringe, but then again, he is hellbent on not being a flash in the pan alternative artist. He wants to sing his heart out, but he won't settle for anything else than the world listening to him.

Atif Aslam Gets Candid B

"Doorie is a commercial hit in the UK, Canada, and USA; it's everywhere now. So the first Pakistani artiste is basically out there in the world. Not just in India," he says. And then abruptly he remarks, "I knew that people were going to criticize me like anything. There was this journalist, who wrote a critical review about my album Doorie. That what is this album and why is it like this? I felt glad about that, because she was so concerned about my album. She criticized it completely and the next week Channel V declared Doorie the best album in India. I want to tell my critics that I'm doing it my way," he insists. Atif is averse to criticism, because to him, the success of his plan to make it big is perhaps bigger than his music integrity. In that, he speaks more like a manager than a musician.
"Doorie has brought along an international change and Aadat was limited to Pakistan and to a small circle of people at that. After Doorie, I am getting offers from places like South Africa. No Pakistani artiste has ever been called to South Africa." However, Atif with all his stardom, could not gain complete control over his album or the way he was projected and he admits this readily. "When the album Doorie was released I was consulted on all the inlays, on what picture should be there, the designs etc. The write up however wasn't to my temperament at all. And if you see the heart-shaped logo with the caption 'In this lifetime or the next' that was so cheap! I wanted the logo be removed, but it wasn't. Even in the video, there was a girl and you can put her in a sensuous way but at the end of the day you can't tell the director what his job is!" Atif's volcano rumbles, but he is still proud that he played the game and got what he wanted out of it. The director Kuki Gulati may have extremely poor taste, so ditch him! Why go along, make C-Grade music videos, hug the girls, or did the editor morph those scenes? "Yes, I was hugging the girls," Atif admits. "I think that was a requirement because the Indian audience can never accept my 'stupid' 'Mahi Vey' video or my 'stupid' 'Rangoun Mein' video. They have a different concept about a pop or a rock icon. He has to be a heart throb. Girls here can't sit on motor bikes, in India girls ride them. It's a different culture altogether. They (my Indian videos) are for an international audience. However you can see the weird expression I had in the last scene of the song 'Doorie' when I'm hugging the girl. People have said that it looked like I had played an Inzamam innings and was run out." Atif laughs, then sighs softly, "Personally speaking I don't want to associate myself with any of the people out there. But eventually if I don't put in a girl in my videos, people would think something's wrong with me." This hasn't been the first time that Atif has been singed by the Indian entertainment industry. Atif's credits were chopped off the soundtrack of the movie Zeher for the song 'Woh Lamhe', and the movie's music director and lyricist went on to bag an award for the song. "Eventually I had to pay the price," Atif admits. But has he learnt a lesson? Judging from his recent Doorie, it seems not. India is too viable a market. "I personally think that is the market. Honestly speaking there was a slump here- that there was no label here; and that was intentionally done. My move was to release Doorie internationally, so that I could tell people that this is the first album that has been released all over the world. All the artists who are going to India will definitely boost other artists. I have referred a few Pakistani singers myself. The Indians don't have the melodies or original music coming out. There was a time when R.D. Burman had such good melodies, lyrics and arrangements, that's not happening now. Everything is run of the mill as they have to produce and produce that there is no original music anymore. That is why they are more interested in the original music coming from the Pakistani side- from Pakistani boys who are picking up their guitars." Atif adds, "Indians don't have a market for pop songs. They don't have any band. Bollywood markets so much for one movie that there is no space for any other type of music. But after my album became a best seller, a lot of people especially companies are interested in releasing new talent." Atif's eyes beam with delight. He has successfully marketed himself as a pop idol in India, when even Indian idols have burnt out shortly after their debut on the touted show. When speaking of companies, could corporate sponsorship be far behind? Do we really need paan masalas to promote and brand music? He shrugs and replies, "In Pakistan, corporate sponsorship is really important, because the artiste cannot sell his album on his own. You need to be on the billboards, unless and until you product is very very big! Nowadays people believe that a song should have a good video; the guy should have a good presentation. You have to be on the boards to let people know that the album is out! You have to be on screen 24/7." If that is the case then why was Doorie out without so much as a whimper? With a mischievous smile, Atif confides, "Whenever there is a controversy there is hype and I love controversies. People will ask what the hell is happening; what is he doing? Why did he do this in this video and that video?" Atif begins to swing to the next extreme, "Other than that, like I said that this wasn't my kind of music so I wasn't interested in giving interviews or coming on TV for it. Now my second album basically is an ATIF style album and I am planning to release it. For that I will be giving interviews and press conferences. Because for that album, people themselves would create the hype. I want to do interviews for that album not for this. The Pakistani nation is such that which ever side you push them they go. If they see a song on B4U, they will say kia baat hai yaar! Eventually this is what has been happening, I have been their artist-of-the-month on Channel V, B4U, MTV and it was a record that when I went to India, I did 16 interviews for TV channels." But then why is Atif reclusive whenever it came to interviews of any sort especially in Pakistan. "Everywhere in the world, the artists get royalties for their videos. Here the channels ask the artist to come and do their show - a show which is branded. The channels are paid, who tell the corporations that they will provide the artist and pay the artist who actually doesn't get a paisa. I'm strictly against this. I'm not doing TV shows. If my fans want to know why this is so, then they should know that there should be at least one to say that unless and until the artist is paid, we wont do your bidding. We are not just entertainers." Atif has more on his chest and he warms up to let it off. "A lot of changes are needed in Pakistan. There should be a Copyright Act that is actually implemented. And then people here need to open up their minds. There is so much criticism that it's unbelievable. If someone is doing a good job, let him be." Switching gears, we turned towards to his new ventures. If Atif oscillates from disinterest to pride on Doorie then he is definitely passionate and focused about Hungami Haalat, his next album- the Atif style album. "It's entirely different from Doorie. It has no commercial aspect. It's just Atif, and I have sung my heart out. In Doorie I couldn't be myself, except for certain minute areas like the song 'Kuch Iss Tarha' which is very close to my heart. With regard to the new album, I know how much hard work has gone into it, how much I've learnt and only I know how I wrote and composed the songs." Atif sums up his strategy again, "I will be doing more commercial music because my aim is that people be excited about my commercial side and then also lend an ear to my style of music too. I want an audience to my voice and then mould them to my style of music. And then let them know that listen this is me- and introduce my music all over the world." Atif vrooms off with his words ringing in my ears. He wants the world and India is his platform to get there. He may have sold himself short and stooped to Bollywood standards doing videos that have even made him cringe, but then again, he is hellbent on not being a flash in the pan alternative artist. He wants to sing his heart out, but he won't settle for anything else than the world listening to him.

Atif Aslam Gets Candid A

instep interview Atif gets candid Atif Aslam insists that he made the commercial Doorie so he would have a wider audience for Hungami Haalat, the upcoming album that is closer to his heart By FunKoner EnterTainment
Atif Aslam is a mega star and no one knows this better than the crooner himself. He descends Brando style from his heavy bike to meet for this interview. While I couldn't take my eyes off his tan suede boots lined with fur, Atif took off his gear in slo-mo, savoring the buzz his arrival was causing. Riding high on the success of Doorie, Atif is still upset as to how his Doorie effort has been inviting brickbats from music critics in Pakistan. Even though Pakistanis love all things Bollywood, our alternative music scene is a different ball game altogether. Atif Aslam, for his Pakistani music fans will always be the definitive voice that made 'Aadat', 'Woh Lamhay' (as he sang it on Jalpari) and 'Mahi Vey' songs an entire generation continues to sing. To his legions of Pakistani fans, Doorie remains a wishy-washy Bollywood juke box churn (which we will dance to, nonetheless).
Ultimately, Doorie is not what die hard Jalpari fans expected from Atif. While his powerful vocals make the album a chart topper on both sides of the border, his cult following here at home feel betrayed by Atif's switchover from his classic raw sound to club remixes. Then there are the terrible videos directed in India which have done nothing to aesthetically project Atif's potential. He is our soft rock wonderboy and the Indians have reinvented him as a chocolate hero. Give us the edgy Atif any day! Atif insists that Doorie isn't exactly targeted for his fans who know him even before Jalpari but is rather the launch of Atif on an international (read Indian) level. Released worldwide by a telecom conglomerate, Atif has made a conscious effort to establish himself as a singing sensation for a wider audience. But why not be true to his original sound? "I started off when I was 17 and I never thought I would be this big," Atif confesses. "When Jalpari came out, its raw sound was revolutionary. When I was in India, I received a fantabulous response performing in cities like Pune, Mumbai etc which was a great experience. They (the Indians) respect talent but they cannot understand what I had been doing here. Even here, only a select audience actually understands what I am singing, not the masses. Touring internationally made me think that I should take my music global by releasing it worldwide. I collaborated with a lot of people and thought up a plan for a commercial album, which is not my type of music; which is not ATIF. I just wanted to explore that side of the music. When I composed and wrote these songs for Doorie, I kept in mind that this album has to be commercial," he explains with the ease of an artist genuinely hungry for a wider audience. Atif strived for mass appeal and recognition and via Doorie, that is exactly what he got.

Atif Aslam Gets Candid A

instep interview Atif gets candid Atif Aslam insists that he made the commercial Doorie so he would have a wider audience for Hungami Haalat, the upcoming album that is closer to his heart By FunKoner EnterTainment
Atif Aslam is a mega star and no one knows this better than the crooner himself. He descends Brando style from his heavy bike to meet for this interview. While I couldn't take my eyes off his tan suede boots lined with fur, Atif took off his gear in slo-mo, savoring the buzz his arrival was causing. Riding high on the success of Doorie, Atif is still upset as to how his Doorie effort has been inviting brickbats from music critics in Pakistan. Even though Pakistanis love all things Bollywood, our alternative music scene is a different ball game altogether. Atif Aslam, for his Pakistani music fans will always be the definitive voice that made 'Aadat', 'Woh Lamhay' (as he sang it on Jalpari) and 'Mahi Vey' songs an entire generation continues to sing. To his legions of Pakistani fans, Doorie remains a wishy-washy Bollywood juke box churn (which we will dance to, nonetheless).
Ultimately, Doorie is not what die hard Jalpari fans expected from Atif. While his powerful vocals make the album a chart topper on both sides of the border, his cult following here at home feel betrayed by Atif's switchover from his classic raw sound to club remixes. Then there are the terrible videos directed in India which have done nothing to aesthetically project Atif's potential. He is our soft rock wonderboy and the Indians have reinvented him as a chocolate hero. Give us the edgy Atif any day! Atif insists that Doorie isn't exactly targeted for his fans who know him even before Jalpari but is rather the launch of Atif on an international (read Indian) level. Released worldwide by a telecom conglomerate, Atif has made a conscious effort to establish himself as a singing sensation for a wider audience. But why not be true to his original sound? "I started off when I was 17 and I never thought I would be this big," Atif confesses. "When Jalpari came out, its raw sound was revolutionary. When I was in India, I received a fantabulous response performing in cities like Pune, Mumbai etc which was a great experience. They (the Indians) respect talent but they cannot understand what I had been doing here. Even here, only a select audience actually understands what I am singing, not the masses. Touring internationally made me think that I should take my music global by releasing it worldwide. I collaborated with a lot of people and thought up a plan for a commercial album, which is not my type of music; which is not ATIF. I just wanted to explore that side of the music. When I composed and wrote these songs for Doorie, I kept in mind that this album has to be commercial," he explains with the ease of an artist genuinely hungry for a wider audience. Atif strived for mass appeal and recognition and via Doorie, that is exactly what he got.

Shahbaz Sumar C

So what does one do at The Basement? Eating good food and listening to great music can get monotonous. And in the land of the pure, the true definition of a lounge cannot be explored fully. Hence, The Basement is now fast turning into a center of activities of a different kind. It helps provide a platform to the talented youth and give restless Karachiites something to do on a muggy weeknight. Infinite Arts organizes stand up comedy and musical performances every Thursday; the FIFA World Cup season saw the Basement overflow with people, sipping on fresh falsa juice and watching the games on the projector screen. Events like these help attract the younger college crowd to add to the more mature Basement regulars who drop in to have a cuppa and hang out before heading home or meet up there before going to a party. A new addition includes DJ nights when DJs like Faisal Baig, Shady (Sheheryar Hyatt), Shakir, Adnan Reddy and Altimish Jiwa spin their sounds. The wi-fi internet service ensures that workaholics can relax and remain connected to the rest of the world. Last and least... the food The first thing that strikes one about the menu are the prices - they're a bit on the high side, with no food item costing less than 200 rupees. However, the quality of the ingredients used makes up for it. Shahbaz's experimental side is visible in the menu as well with items like palak paneer and spicy prawn masala, which are served with corn bread nachos. Desserts are also expensive, but then again, the NY cheese cake IS flown in from New York. New additions on the menu like the chicken pesto wrap and masala fries have jazzed up the menu a bit, but one must keep in mind that they are snacks. The Basement is NOT a restaurant. "I've actually brought the prices down, and the drinks are cheaper than any other restaurant on Zamzama by comparison, since the drinks cater to the college/university crowd who can't shell out the money for the food. The green sauce (habanero) is imported from Mexico; the green tea comes from China!" Focusing on less is more, the Basement stands out as an example that something different can work in the entertainment starved city of Karachi. In a nutshell So what does The Basement really offer to its clientele? Shahbaz categorically states, 'great food, great music. It's a different place for different people. You never know who you'll meet. People end up mingling between tables, there's a guaranteed okay crowd. You will feel momentarily that you're not in Pakistan.' To truly enjoy The Basement experience, one really needs to put preconceived notions of restaurants and cafes out of their minds. It already has a reputation of being a place to see and be seen, but more importantly it is also a place to relax, disconnect from the world and kick back to the electronic sounds. With some spicy prawn masala of course. The Basement is located on 6-C, 4th Commercial Lane, Zamzama. Photos by: Tapu Javeri and Fayyaz Ahmed

Shahbaz Sumar C

So what does one do at The Basement? Eating good food and listening to great music can get monotonous. And in the land of the pure, the true definition of a lounge cannot be explored fully. Hence, The Basement is now fast turning into a center of activities of a different kind. It helps provide a platform to the talented youth and give restless Karachiites something to do on a muggy weeknight. Infinite Arts organizes stand up comedy and musical performances every Thursday; the FIFA World Cup season saw the Basement overflow with people, sipping on fresh falsa juice and watching the games on the projector screen. Events like these help attract the younger college crowd to add to the more mature Basement regulars who drop in to have a cuppa and hang out before heading home or meet up there before going to a party. A new addition includes DJ nights when DJs like Faisal Baig, Shady (Sheheryar Hyatt), Shakir, Adnan Reddy and Altimish Jiwa spin their sounds. The wi-fi internet service ensures that workaholics can relax and remain connected to the rest of the world. Last and least... the food The first thing that strikes one about the menu are the prices - they're a bit on the high side, with no food item costing less than 200 rupees. However, the quality of the ingredients used makes up for it. Shahbaz's experimental side is visible in the menu as well with items like palak paneer and spicy prawn masala, which are served with corn bread nachos. Desserts are also expensive, but then again, the NY cheese cake IS flown in from New York. New additions on the menu like the chicken pesto wrap and masala fries have jazzed up the menu a bit, but one must keep in mind that they are snacks. The Basement is NOT a restaurant. "I've actually brought the prices down, and the drinks are cheaper than any other restaurant on Zamzama by comparison, since the drinks cater to the college/university crowd who can't shell out the money for the food. The green sauce (habanero) is imported from Mexico; the green tea comes from China!" Focusing on less is more, the Basement stands out as an example that something different can work in the entertainment starved city of Karachi. In a nutshell So what does The Basement really offer to its clientele? Shahbaz categorically states, 'great food, great music. It's a different place for different people. You never know who you'll meet. People end up mingling between tables, there's a guaranteed okay crowd. You will feel momentarily that you're not in Pakistan.' To truly enjoy The Basement experience, one really needs to put preconceived notions of restaurants and cafes out of their minds. It already has a reputation of being a place to see and be seen, but more importantly it is also a place to relax, disconnect from the world and kick back to the electronic sounds. With some spicy prawn masala of course. The Basement is located on 6-C, 4th Commercial Lane, Zamzama. Photos by: Tapu Javeri and Fayyaz Ahmed

Shahbaz Sumar B

Rewind: One year back Karachiites see a new restaurant or cafe open every month. Yet, there is nothing really different about them, in terms of menu, decor, and the experience they offer. All that changed when the Basement opened on January 1, 2006 the very first place of its kind in Karachi that allowed visitors to experience an out-of-Pakistan experience.
When one walks into the place, the first thing to strike the eye is the decor. The interior sports an industrial feel, with stone grey walls broken by illustrations and dim lighting. A plasma screen plays some channel non stop, while tech house music blares from the sound system. You walk into a dream lounge with your posse of friends. Through swirling cigarette smoke one can see the good looking owner Shahbaz Sumar flitting from one table to the other, with a well-worn apron setting him apart from the crowd. The next second, one sees him fiddling at the turn tables, and the Basement's walls reverberate with funky music. He spends time with every customer in the place and they are all unanimously charmed. Well spoken and welcoming, Shahbaz himself is an essential part of the Basement experience. Once you get to know him, you realise that Shahbaz's personality is evident eveywhere.
The man Shahbaz takes full responsibility for the decor, "The interior was all done by me; most of the furniture was lying at my house. It has a very industrial/incomplete feel to it. The murals were painted by a signboard painter onto flex, I gave him the reference image and he replicated them perfectly." Having done a stint at a film school in Hampshire, Shahbaz's past alias was DJ Baz*d and eclectic minimal tech house music was his forte. Trying to escape the life of being an industrialist, Shahbaz initially decided to open a record store and lounge called Vinyl Basement, but then to make it legal, since the CDs he wanted to sell would be 'black market items', his idea took the form of The Basement – a lounge that served food along with turn tables to satiate the DJ in him. There are, Shahbaz says, a lot of limitations since the lounge/club scene is a very grey area, but he does want to concentrate more on opening a vinyl store at the Basement in the future.
Juggling his job as Director of Marketing at a major textile group along with managing the Basement, Shahbaz has his hands full, yet he has managed to bring in more additions at The Basement to attract a wider range of clientele. The difference What really sets the Basement apart is the music. With the lack of clubs in Pakistan, the tech house music that plays here brings yuppie customers back. House music is getting an audience here thanks to the internet, music channels, parties and raves. The Basement takes house one step further in the local context. With established contacts in Germany, UK, etc; Shahbaz had access to a lot of different music, which was still relatively unknown to Basement's clientele. And the hot and happening of Karachi definitely have a taste for it. On any regular night, one can rub shoulders with the media and fashion elite of Pakistan and the rock stars of Pakistan, all friends of Shahbaz. Album launches, video premieres, etc at the
Basement have also helped make the celebrity crowd a permanent part of the clientele. When a regular person sees the celebrities at the place, it makes them wonder if the place is for the elite crowd only, or mildly put is the place 'exclusive' in nature? Shahbaz dispels that notion. "Yes it's exclusive, but we have a policy that we let everyone in at the door. And those who don't feel comfortable here leave on their own, we've had mullahs walk in here and leave immediately because they can't relate to the place."

Shahbaz Sumar B

Rewind: One year back Karachiites see a new restaurant or cafe open every month. Yet, there is nothing really different about them, in terms of menu, decor, and the experience they offer. All that changed when the Basement opened on January 1, 2006 the very first place of its kind in Karachi that allowed visitors to experience an out-of-Pakistan experience.
When one walks into the place, the first thing to strike the eye is the decor. The interior sports an industrial feel, with stone grey walls broken by illustrations and dim lighting. A plasma screen plays some channel non stop, while tech house music blares from the sound system. You walk into a dream lounge with your posse of friends. Through swirling cigarette smoke one can see the good looking owner Shahbaz Sumar flitting from one table to the other, with a well-worn apron setting him apart from the crowd. The next second, one sees him fiddling at the turn tables, and the Basement's walls reverberate with funky music. He spends time with every customer in the place and they are all unanimously charmed. Well spoken and welcoming, Shahbaz himself is an essential part of the Basement experience. Once you get to know him, you realise that Shahbaz's personality is evident eveywhere.
The man Shahbaz takes full responsibility for the decor, "The interior was all done by me; most of the furniture was lying at my house. It has a very industrial/incomplete feel to it. The murals were painted by a signboard painter onto flex, I gave him the reference image and he replicated them perfectly." Having done a stint at a film school in Hampshire, Shahbaz's past alias was DJ Baz*d and eclectic minimal tech house music was his forte. Trying to escape the life of being an industrialist, Shahbaz initially decided to open a record store and lounge called Vinyl Basement, but then to make it legal, since the CDs he wanted to sell would be 'black market items', his idea took the form of The Basement – a lounge that served food along with turn tables to satiate the DJ in him. There are, Shahbaz says, a lot of limitations since the lounge/club scene is a very grey area, but he does want to concentrate more on opening a vinyl store at the Basement in the future.
Juggling his job as Director of Marketing at a major textile group along with managing the Basement, Shahbaz has his hands full, yet he has managed to bring in more additions at The Basement to attract a wider range of clientele. The difference What really sets the Basement apart is the music. With the lack of clubs in Pakistan, the tech house music that plays here brings yuppie customers back. House music is getting an audience here thanks to the internet, music channels, parties and raves. The Basement takes house one step further in the local context. With established contacts in Germany, UK, etc; Shahbaz had access to a lot of different music, which was still relatively unknown to Basement's clientele. And the hot and happening of Karachi definitely have a taste for it. On any regular night, one can rub shoulders with the media and fashion elite of Pakistan and the rock stars of Pakistan, all friends of Shahbaz. Album launches, video premieres, etc at the
Basement have also helped make the celebrity crowd a permanent part of the clientele. When a regular person sees the celebrities at the place, it makes them wonder if the place is for the elite crowd only, or mildly put is the place 'exclusive' in nature? Shahbaz dispels that notion. "Yes it's exclusive, but we have a policy that we let everyone in at the door. And those who don't feel comfortable here leave on their own, we've had mullahs walk in here and leave immediately because they can't relate to the place."

Shahbaz Sumar A

instep exclusive Underground utopia The Basement is fast becoming a see and be seen sanctuary for the young, restless, bold and beautiful of Karachi. Instep looks back at one year of the Basement to see how exactly it became all the rage By FUN KONER ENTERTAINMENT
It created a definite buzz in Karachi. The Basement became a haven for some, others didn't much care for it and there is still a legion out there who haven't figured out exactly where it is yet. In a narrow Zamzama alley, there is a little red carpet before a large, imposing grey door. A narrow staircase leads down to the most talked about 'grey area' in the city. Not only is the place a dingy grey, it is also difficult to figure out what it is. The Basement is not a restaurant, neither is it a coffee shop, though you can get snacks and finger food. It has the best music in town and the live DJ nights are attracting electronica buffs and providing a much needed platform for the disc jockeys of Karachi. The Basement is one year old now and is still going strong. On the anniversary, owner Shahbaz Sumar threw a party for patrons and friends, who helped make The Basement a success. With the resounding beat of music, candles and balloons strewn around it was a celebration of an unlikely success story. Loyal clients who insist that the Basement is their living room. And they were out in full force, grooving to the
beat and having a grand time celebrating a place that is the next best thing to home, and sometimes evenbetter

Shahbaz Sumar A

instep exclusive Underground utopia The Basement is fast becoming a see and be seen sanctuary for the young, restless, bold and beautiful of Karachi. Instep looks back at one year of the Basement to see how exactly it became all the rage By FUN KONER ENTERTAINMENT
It created a definite buzz in Karachi. The Basement became a haven for some, others didn't much care for it and there is still a legion out there who haven't figured out exactly where it is yet. In a narrow Zamzama alley, there is a little red carpet before a large, imposing grey door. A narrow staircase leads down to the most talked about 'grey area' in the city. Not only is the place a dingy grey, it is also difficult to figure out what it is. The Basement is not a restaurant, neither is it a coffee shop, though you can get snacks and finger food. It has the best music in town and the live DJ nights are attracting electronica buffs and providing a much needed platform for the disc jockeys of Karachi. The Basement is one year old now and is still going strong. On the anniversary, owner Shahbaz Sumar threw a party for patrons and friends, who helped make The Basement a success. With the resounding beat of music, candles and balloons strewn around it was a celebration of an unlikely success story. Loyal clients who insist that the Basement is their living room. And they were out in full force, grooving to the
beat and having a grand time celebrating a place that is the next best thing to home, and sometimes evenbetter

Everytime I think of summer

"Everytime I think of summer, my mind goes to Greece. I love the fact that white is the summer colour, but it can be boring. I feel white should be given flair the coming season. I want to make it pop with different variations of blue. This spring is about skirts; they are flirty and fun. But unfortunately, women can't wear them in a country like Pakistan, though I would introduce them in my fashion show." Jannat Shahid's flowy garments
The only designer to emerge from Faisalabad in any credible way, Jannat Shahid of the design duo Jannat & Shahid puts her money on minimizing the fuss this spring.

For Jannat, last spring was about embellishments and long lengths. This year, she feels what would make the most rounds are loose fitted kaftans and less of bright colours. Instead, she suggests on focusing on silver gray, peach, pink and aqua. The major change of spring to her are the cuts of the clothing- simple loose tunics and baby doll styled tops with less add ons.
"Spring is not a wedding season. For this spring, I feel jackets over loose tunics would be the best choice. Winter was about long coats and spring is about minimal loose kaftans and heavily flowy dresses. Chiffon and net are the perfect fabrics. Very very long, flowy and loose tops are the change this spring."