Pakistani dramas and the crisis of masculinity
I’ve had a long interesting relationship with Pakistani dramas, not so much as a reviewer, but as the editor at HELLO!magazine where we would regularly feature Pakistani television actors and actresses and talk to them about their work, what made them click and what kinds of…
Trailer Review: What’s Love Got to Do with It (2022)
Who knew that Jemima Goldsmith had this super interesting screenplay up her sleeve! We’ve heard that it took her ten years to write it and recently at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) screening of the film this September, she said it was her ode…
Trailer Review: The Legend of Maula Jatt (2022)
Maula Jatt trailer review There is no doubt that the new Maula Jatt (2022) film is going to be a cinematic treat if the trailer is anything to go by. Sweeping vistas and stunning scenery dominate this new adaptation which looks like it has been…
Kamli (2002) Dir: Sarmad Khoosat
Starring: Saba Qamar, Sania Saeed, Nimra Bucha, Umair Rana, Hamza Khawaja So, what is it that makes Kamli a striking piece of cinematic success? The cinematography, the content, the acting? There are several aspects of a film to take into consideration when reviewing cinema, however, I would…
A book of necessary doubts: My review of Wajahat Malik’s first collection of poems
From Mountain Climber to Intrepid Poet Wajahat Malik who is known primarily as an adventure buff and mountaineer has compiled a collection of poetry that is not only endearing but also gives personal insight on being humane. One wouldn’t have thought that an avid adventurer…
An invigorating read: My review of Mira Sethi’s short stories for TNS
I whizzed through Mira Sethi’s short stories at great speed and really enjoyed them! These racy stories are engaging and you’ll want to read them at one sitting. Well, at least I did! Also, the cover is an absolute winner with Lahore-based artist Minaa Mohsin’s…
Toxicity on the rise in Pakistan. Where are we going with this? An expat’s view
What are ordinary citizens doing to change the toxicity they find in society today asks Ayesha Khan. Image credit: Sarah Imran @sarahzimran I am a Pakistani who lives and works in Germany. I visit Pakistan almost thrice a year, and in every single trip, I…
Healing with verse: My review of The Burning Champa by Zahra Hameed
I recently reviewed a touching anthology of poems for The News on Sunday titled The Burning Champa published by a small, independent, Pakistani publishing house called Zuka Books. Written by Lahore-based writer Zahra Hameed who goes by the nom de plume DewaneZahra, you’ll find her work…
Beygumbano: She creates vibrant imagery that lampoons society
Born and bred in Lahore, Eemaan Bano Rehman is a visual artist and a graduate of the Beaconhouse National University (BNU). Eemaan Bano can be found on Instagram @beygumbano. I’ve always found her work fascinating and we sat down to discuss her unconventional imagery and…
We might have seen it coming: Kusum Lata Sawhney’s poems are a highly charged, thoughtful pandemic diary that capture present times
London/Delhi-based Kusum Lata Sawhney’s poems are an emphatic description of our altered world after the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic. A continuous preface of a single phrase heads each poem: ‘We might have …’. With that Sawhney takes us in several directions, from the personal…
LUX HUM TV Women Leaders Awards 2021: Sending out all the right messages to Pakistani men and women
The HUM TV’s Women Leaders Awards 2021 (to be aired on 20th March) sent out all the right messages to the men and women of Pakistan this year with an intelligently curated programme that reiterated that Pakistani women prove year after year that they are…
Celebrate books at the free access all-virtual Lahore Literary Festival #LLF2021 (Feb 18-21)
Beginning Thursday 18th February, the 9th edition off the Lahore Literary Festival will be presented online for four days and will showcase an extremely impressive lineup, including first time Pakistani authors and a litany of international names that will warm the depths of every book…
