Cute Aishwarya with Hu

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Comment on this photo..... What Aamir is thinking?





It will be Akshay Kumar taking on Aamir Khan as the year comes to an end. Jumbo , which was earlier slated to release along with Rab Ne Banadi Jodi on December 12th, has now been postponed and will release with Ghajini on Christmas Day. Here is what the battleground looks like...

The Plot

Ghajini is a revenge story based on the super hit south film which was vaguely based on the Hollywood film Momemto.

Jumbo is an animated film where the protagonist, an elephant, sets out in search of his parents.


Cast

Ghajini will see Aamir in a refreshingly new avatar. With the eight packs abs and a completely fit body, he is looking younger like never before. South sensation Asin also makes her Hindi film debut with Ghajini.

The voice of the protagonist of the film is given by none other than Akshay ‘Kinng’ Kumar. Lara Dutta, Dimple Kapadia, Rajpal Yadav, Gulshan Grover and Asrani have also lent their voices to the other prominent animated characters in the film.

Cute Aishwarya with Hubby Abhishek .

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Cute Aish always..............

Pakistan cricket PCB gave me no independence - Abdul Qadir

by SADIA MAHA | 2:26 PM in | comments (0)

Pakistan cricket
PCB gave me no independence - Abdul Qadir

Having maintained a steady silence since he abruptly stepped down from his post as chief selector earlier this week, Abdul Qadir finally let loose on the reasons behind his decision, blaming primarily a lack of independence in his role. Qadir also said had it been his choice, Pakistan's Twenty20 side would not be led by Younis Khan and that Shoaib Malik would not be in the side at all.

In particular, Qadir launched an attack on Intikhab Alam, Pakistan's coach, and Yawar Saeed, the team's manager, blaming them for interfering in selections and rendering his selectors "a dummy" committee.

"Why did I resign? If you do not get the respect, the justice or independence in your job it is better to leave," Qadir "If the PCB does not honour its contract then what is the point? I was told I would be given independence and a free hand in selection but that has not been the case."

The spark for the differences seems to have emerged from the ambiguous parameters assigned to the chief selector. The board's policy, for home games, is that the selection committee decides on a playing XI, in consultation with coach and captain. According to Qadir, 'consultation' allowed, effectively, the team management to finalise the XI without any input from selectors.

"The contract says that if there is a dispute over the final XI for a home game, the selector decides in consultation with coach and captain," Qadir said. "Here, the coach and manager and captain were deciding the XI so the selectors were not doing anything. Even the players for the central contracts - we had no say in that. If guys like Yawar Saeed and Intikhab Alam are handling these things, interfering, then why have selectors?"

Several ideas of his, Qadir said, had not been considered. One was a suggestion on improving Pakistan's bench strength by organizing matches between four teams with all the best talent in Pakistan. Other ideas were more radical. Had he been given the independence he wanted, for example, Younis would not be the captain of Pakistan's Twenty20 side.

"When I first was appointed as selector I said then we should have two captains but they didn't listen to me. I would've asked Younis to step down from ODI and Twenty20 cricket and made Shahid Afridi captain in both formats. I would've kicked Shoaib Malik out of the side totally because I noticed in Dubai that he is conspiring and forming cliques against Younis."

Pakistan only recently made its selection committee a full-time, salaried one; Qadir was the second such head, after Salahuddin Ahmed, who stepped down last year. "I did not do this for the money. I kick the PCB's money. I did it to bring justice to Pakistan's real talent that goes unnoticed every day. The whole system has to change and men such as Yawar Saeed and Intikhab Alam have to be removed from it. Otherwise nothing will change. I have nothing against Ijaz Butt but the system must change."

The other two members of the committee, ex-Test cricketers Salim Jaffer and Shoaib Mohammad are still in place and no replacement has yet been sought for Qadir.

99

by SADIA MAHA | 2:23 PM in | comments (0)

99

Director: Krishna DK, Raj Nidimoru
Producer: Aditya Shastri, Anupam Mittal
Starring: Kunal Khemu, Cyrus Broacha, Boman Irani, Mahesh Manjrekar, Soha Ali Khan,Vinod Khanna, Simone Singh
Music Dir: Shamir Tandon



Many weeks without movies quite hurts the Indian cinegoers as Bollywood still forms core of our entertainment appetite. Finally, after a harrowing gap comes a flick, only to dismay the audiences. The release of the movie titled '99' is significant in Bollywod as the industry is in the throes of a strike by big producers against the exhibitors, especially multiplexes.

At issue is the share of revenue between the two. So, it sounded like welcome relief also to movie buffs who could escape the scorching heat of the summer sun to take solace in cinema. Its been six weeks of a lull since the release of '8X10 Tasveer.' Early reactions to producer Anupam Mittal's much-awaited '99' starring Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Khemu sounds like a bit of disappointment. But, then, maybe it's too early to tell.

A first reaction for me was that 99 falls well short of worthwhile content for an eager audience. Perhaps, that's the problem. Never have we been so dry so long. The effort can be said to be praiseworthy, or, put it this way that the intention is right. Scattered plot and juxtaposed scenes just don't connect that well.

But, I might be marred by contextual, especially from Hollywood, structured filmmaking where one expects the movie flow from the beginning to the end. The significant scene is set in 1999 - so that's why the name - when match-fixing scandal reached its prosperity peak.

Justice Chandrachud Commission was to probe the alleged controversy. Unfortunately, the commission deliberated without conclusive evidence to point a finger at corruption by cricketers. Flash back to 1999; India needed six of the last over to win in one of the matches. Close-up - late Hansie Cronje. You wonder why Mohammed Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja were targeted!

Let's get to the crux of the story. In the flick, two directors - Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK - try to make sense. No understanding between the two, say batsmen, and we get a comedy of errors in trying to run each other out! One would give thumbs up for a good cast and experienced actors.

There's Boman Irani, a compulsive gambler and a firm believer in borrowing money with total disregard for consequences. Rest of the stars that shine includes Cyrus Broacha and Kunal Khemu - two friends who create duplicate sim cards.

Lady luck doesn't help and they run into Mahesh Manjrekar, a bookie, who uses them as collection agents! Leading the females is the beautiful and versatile Soha Ali Khan playing a lobby manager in a five star hotel in Delhi. And, Simone Singh plays Boman's love interest with the usual endearing performance. Veteran Vinod Khanna is the brain behind match fixing.

Some shots are okay, but the scenes aren't planned or executed well at all. Poor Amit Mistry is so wasted in lackluster scenes. One recollects Amit delivering a decent performance in 'Bad Luck Govind.' Cyrus Broacha of the famous MTV Bakra act is shown much as his confused standing on the TV shows. Kunal Khemu might have proved his credentials. Boman could impress the audience with his acting skill but the movie is devoid of content.

The movie seems to enjoy symptoms of not doing well. First, perhaps a lackadaisical approach in writing a proper script that conjugates the movie. Second, the lack of publicity that has kept the halls empty. Sometimes the saving grace for Bollywood movies is their songs and music.

But this one has hardly any scope because of it genre. Overall, the movie bags a 5 out of 10 to give credit for the release that broke the strike. It might still make the financial cut as the movie opened for public in all the major multiplexes and single screen theatres.


Ek Se Bure Do

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Ek Se Bure Do

Director: Tarique Khan
Producer: Suresh Sheth
Starring: Arshad Warsi, Natassha, Rajpal Yadav, Tusha, Govind Namdeo, Yashpal Sharma, Virendra Saxena, Vijay Raaz, Snehal
Razzak Khan




Time and again one comes across a statement that 'this film has been made for single screen audiences in smaller towns and cities'. Well, no audience should be subjected to a movie like this.

Simply put, 'Ek Se Bure Do' is a terrible movie. Arshad Warsi and Rajpal Yadav are the two 'bure log' (bad people) in the film and honestly, it must have been embarrassing for them to be a part of a movie which doesn't make any sense whatsoever from the first to the last frame.

The film is said to be a comedy but there is not even a single scene that makes you laugh.

Problems with 'Ek Se Bure Do' are aplenty with the biggest being that there is no storyline whatsoever. The director would struggle if asked to give a two line synopsis of the film.

The film has a treasure hunt as the central theme but not once in the film does one see anyone going after the treasure.

Arshad Warsi and Rajpal Yadav are visibly uncomfortable with the terrible state that they must have been in while working in the film - something which reflects in practically each of their scenes.

The film tries to be an amalgamation of quite a few films and in the end the mishmash that is served is so tasteless that you begin wondering who approved the script in the first place.

Arshad-Rajpal antics are straight out of 'Jodi No. 1′ while the Govind Namdeo double role act reminds one of 'Andaz Apna Apna' where Paresh Rawal was seen in a similar role. Then there is this quintessential 'Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron' climax, this time with 'Mughal-e-Azam' being underway on stage. If Kundan Shah sees these five minutes of the film, he may just get a heart attack.

The film was in the making for five years, something that reflects in each and every frame. Not only does it look dated with extremely poor cinematography adding insult to injury, it also seems clearly disjointed.

Also, you can sense that the director didn't have any control over the proceedings and shot scenes randomly depending upon availability of any actor, whether lead or supporting. No wonder, 'Ek Se Bure Do' turns out to be an extremely poor film.

Team - The Force

by SADIA MAHA | 2:21 PM in | comments (0)

Team - The Force

Director: Ajay Chandok
Starring: Sohail Khan, Amrita Arora, Aarti Chhabria, Yash Tonk, Vrajesh Hirjee, Mushtaq Khan, Pankaj Berry, Sayaji Shinde, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Shahbaaz Khan, Vindu Dara Singh, Adi Irani
Music Dir: Daboo Malik
Lyricist: Praveen Bharadwaj


The movie watchers have to bear with films like 'Team - The Force' in the absence of new big releases. But, no more as the row between the producers and the multiplex owners has ended. They should be ready to watch their long-awaited Vasu Bhagnani's 'Kal Kisne Dekha' and 'Mithun Chakravorty's 'Zor Lag Ke Haiya' next Friday, June 12th.

Let's review 'Team - The Force' directed by Ajay Chandhok and made long, long ago. The movie starring Sohail Khan and Malaika Arora Khan has miserably failed, as they were part of team B of Bollywood at that time of making this movie. Their acting is mediocre. So, we wonder if they would like to lend their name to the movie. However, the fact stays that they acted in this flop movie.

The movie is about three aspiring musicians Raj played by Sohail Khan, Yash played by Yash Tonk and Jassi played by Rajesh Hirjee. All the three aspire to be big in the music industry though the trio was poverty stricken.

They stay at the bungalow of Babe played by Kulbhushan Kharbanda and his family, as paying guests. They don't do very well in spite of their best. After Babe then tells them to launch their own Video Album by sending them to Goa to work on their project.

Later, the story moves slowly and Babe gets an extortion call from an Underworld don Raman Shetty played by Sayaji Shinde. The don threatens to take over Kharbanda's Bungalow.

Thus, the three boys come to the rescue of their patron from the threat of the Don. This explains the movie's title ' Team - The Force'. We may inform you that Sohail Khan had then changed the earlier title of the movie. Again, it has been lying canned for years and could see the daylight during the fight between the two vital parts of the movie industry - the producers and the multiplex owners.

Wonder if it would have remained canned had the film industry row ended last Friday.

Overall, the movie lacks in all respects. Both the script as well as the direction are amateurish. The script is too poor for the actors to do justice to their parts. The director lacks the ability to give it a right direction.

Acting-wise, it has no meat though the cast comprises Sohail Khan, Yash and Rajesh. After all, then they were not stars. Amrita Arora is wasted as she is introduced only to provide a skin show. The pretty Aarti Chhabaria disappoints too.

Sayaji Shinde's interaction with his wife is often funny. Sorry that the director fails to provide good music though the story revolves around the music minded actors. Did the director aim at making this movie a comedy.

The Hangover

by SADIA MAHA | 2:20 PM in | comments (0)

The Hangover

Two days before his wedding, Doug and his three friends drive to Las Vegas for a blow-out bachelor party they'll never forget. But, in fact, when the three groomsmen wake up the next morning, they can't remember a thing. For some reason, they find a tiger in the bathroom and a six-month-old baby in the closet of their suite at Caesars Palace. The one thing they can't find is Doug. With no clue as to what transpired and little time to spare, the trio must retrace their hazy steps and all their bad decisions in order to figure out where things went wrong and hopefully get Doug back to L.A. in time to walk down the aisle.

Genres: Comedy
Running Time: 1 hr. 39 min.
Release Date: June 5th, 2009 (wide)
MPAA Rating: R for pervasive language, sexual content including nudity, and some drug material.
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution

Cast And Credits
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Produced by: Scott Budnick, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni

The immaturity of ostensibly grown-up American men is an inexhaustible subject, or at least one that has yet to exhaust American movie audiences and the well-paid guys who cater to their entertainment needs. Todd Phillips, the director of “Old School,” “Road Trip” and an HBO documentary called “Frat House” as well as a writer of “Borat,” has shown himself to be an adept and tireless connoisseur of male boorishness and stupidity, though the crude humor he dispenses is frequently leavened by nuggets of inventiveness and wit.

So I should say up front that “The Hangover,” Mr. Phillips’s new movie (written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, who contributed to the shockingly nonterrible script of “Four Christmases” and wrote the less surprisingly dreadful script of “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past”) is often very funny. This is partly thanks to the three principal actors, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, who incarnate familiar masculine stereotypes in ways that manage to be moderately fresh as well as soothingly familiar.

Mr. Helms is the anxious, nerdy dude — a dentist only because making him an accountant would deprive the film of a choice tooth-extraction gag — who lives in cowering terror of his bossy, judgmental girlfriend (Rachel Harris). Mr. Galifianakis is the childlike loser whose borderline-creepy non sequiturs are more hilarious the less sense they make. But it is Mr. Cooper who offers the most interesting variation on an old standard, playing his aggressive, cocky frat boy with a snarl of rage that masks an anxiety as hard to account for as it is to miss.

These three — Stu (Mr. Helms), Phil (Mr. Cooper) and Alan (Mr. Galifianakis) — drive to Las Vegas from Los Angeles with another buddy, Doug (Justin Bartha), who seems much better adjusted than the others, which is to say blander and duller, and who mercifully vanishes for most of the picture. Doug is about to get married, and a wild bachelor weekend spins out of control.

Phil, Stu and Alan wake up to find their luxury suite at Caesars Palace a shambles, with a tiger in the bathroom, a baby in the closet and a chicken scratching around the detritus of what looks to have been quite a bacchanal. Stu has a missing incisor, Phil has a hospital bracelet around his wrist, and Doug is nowhere to be found. What on earth could have happened?

In answering that question “The Hangover” peaks early and runs out of steam long before the end. This is probably inevitable, since even the craziest stuff has a way of becoming less so in the course of being explained. Still, there are some moments of dizzying, demented lunacy, most of them immune to being spoiled by mere verbal description. (The verbal jokes I will leave for you to discover and repeat with your co-workers in the break room.)

Mike Tyson shows up to sing along with a Phil Collins song. Mr. Galifianakis is tasered. So are the other two. By schoolchildren on a field trip. Have I ruined anything? No, I’ve just whetted your appetite.

But true to its title, “The Hangover” goes down smoothly enough and then kicks you in the head later on, when you start to examine the sources of your laughter. There’s the easy, lazy trafficking in broad ethnic caricature — Mike Epps as a black drug dealer, Ken Jeong as a prancing, lisping Asian gangster known as Mr. Chow — which is decked out in flimsy air quotes to make it seem as if the movie is making fun of racism.

And the movie, for all its queasiness about male bodies and the thin line between friendship and, you know, other stuff, can’t be called homophobic either. It is much more panicked by the idea of heterosexuality, from whose terrors and traps the whole Vegas adventure is an escape. The city itself is not a place of sin but rather, for Stu, Phil and Alan, an Eden of the narcissistic, infantile id.

Alan, in spite of his heavy beard, is almost literally a giant baby, his soft-bellied body appearing swaddled in a sheet and, most memorably, in a jockstrap that looks like a badly applied diaper. Until the end credits — which shuffle through still photographs from a harder-edged, more nastily and candidly adult movie — the on-screen nudity consists of male buttocks and a woman’s breast in the mouth of a nursing infant. This pretty much sums up the movie’s psychosexual condition, which old-school Freudians might identify as pregenital, more preoccupied with eating and elimination than with, you know, other stuff.

The tiny handful of women who have speaking roles in “Hangover” may at first seem to be conventional figures in the straight-male imaginary — the sweet and patient bride; the emasculating, hypocritical shrew; the friendly prostitute (a sunny Heather Graham) — but they are all really incarnations of mommy. There is a bad mommy who won’t let you play, a good mommy who cleans up your mess and kisses your boo-boos and an extra special mommy who offers you her nipple even when you don’t pay for it as most of the other kids do. What hangover? This movie is safe as milk.

“The Hangover” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). Bad words and naughty stuff no child would be dumb enough to try.

Arisha Shah

by SADIA MAHA | 2:19 PM in | comments (0)

Arisha Shah

Zestful, vibrant and carefree are the three words that describe Arisha Shah best. She believes in her dreams and lives life making them come true. This pretty young model has managed to capture the attention and imagination of the viewers as well as the advertisers over a period of time.

Besides being a model she's also an interior designer. So if its not one field of art it's the other that keeps her busy. Arisha was still a student of Bachelor of Arts when she started getting offers for modelling. It was six years back that she finally decided to take the plunge and here she is today sharing her views on modelling and related topics with Mag4you.com.

Mag4you.com- What sort of a contribution can a model make towards the fashion industry?
AS- Models are as integral to the fashion industry as designers are. A model is the one who can bring a designer's creation to life and make the person on the street want to wear and own that creation. Models contribute to the industry by animating each of its fashion.

Mag4you.com- The industry has obviously given you a lot making you famous. How do you think you can pay back?
AS- I have a lot to thank the industry for. It is such a great blessing to have been given so much by the industry and I think with fame, comes responsibility to give back to the community and make a difference. I do think fashion models even inadvertently are contributing back to the industry by working with and encouraging designers to be more creative and innovative with their styling and products.

Mag4you.com- Do you think our models have the capacity of matching the best in this business elsewhere in the world or even our neighbours India?
AS- Without any doubt! Modelling is a profession in which an individual learns and improves with experience. If our people in other professions such as medicine or sports, can compete with the best in the world then why not in fashion and modelling? If we Pakistanis lack something it is exposure in the international arena something our neighbours the Indians have in abundance.

With the opportunity to work with international choreographers and designers our own standards will also improve and can be comparable to the best in the world. Being a model requires unique beauty and talent which our models have in abundance. I think modelling itself surpasses race or colour, so there's no reason why we aren't able to match our Indian neighbours and compete with the best that the world has to offer.

Mag4you.com- Do you think our industry or market is big enough to give our models the opportunity to do that?
AS- Of course it is! Fashion is so popular and brand names are in more demand now than they have ever been before. Our fashion industry is constantly growing and expanding which gives our models the opportunity to work in a more professional environment. There is also more money in the industry then before so this will attract younger entrants who wish to make a career out of modelling rather than just doing it for fun or past time.

Mag4you.com- Is modelling a lucrative business? What's thecommercial aspect of modelling besides the fame and glamour factor?
AS- Well you can say it pays the bills!! Like any other profession or career those who have what it takes to excel will find it lucrative and be successful. Besides the fame and glamour, there's the obvious wealth that comes along with the territory.

Mag4you.com- If given a chance what steps would you take torevolutionise the modelling industry?
AS- I would erase the preconceived idea that skinny is beautiful. There are so many women who think being skinny, like models, is beautiful. That's partly why we have the disease anorexia affecting so many of our young women today. To revolutionise the modelling industry, I will introduce some beautiful, plus size models to this industry so that women everywhere realise that every body type is perfect.

Mag4you.com- Are there any agencies working on your behalf? Would you like someone to do it all for you from finding, selecting and finalising the projects?
AS- The concept of agencies for models doesn't really exist in Pakistan and will gradually come as the industry becomes more professional. It's vital in this industry to have someone constantly working on your behalf to find the right type of projects for you by which I mean align the model's creative capital with that of the brand. However, I would still wish to retain the final say on the projects and have the absolute creative freedom to decide which projects are right for me and what I want to be a part of.



Josh

by SADIA MAHA | 2:18 PM in | comments (0)

Josh

Mag4you.com looks into the band that is Josh. They are out with a funky new video and a new album that is already making way for itself in Pakistan and India...

Josh's latest single 'Mahi Ve' has been playing all over music channels for the past few months and it's a hit. The reason is simple: 'Mahi Ve' is melodic; it's neither hardcore Punjabi bhangra nor your average feel-good pop track. It is lyrically almost Sufic while being extremely cosmopolitan in form. Josh is the same band that branched out to Pakistan in 2004 with their second album – Kabhi – (first in Pakistan) and immediately built a connection with listeners. These guys are not just known for their music but also their funky collaborations that range from UK-based Rishi Rich to Sukhbir to Grammy-award winning Nelly Furtado. And now they're back with a brand new album, Mausam...


Josh is...
Q and Rup – short for Qurram Hussain and Rupinder Magon – two chilled out musicians, hailing from Canada who call themselves a "desi" band. At 9 in the morning, they are perfectly dressed and ready to take on the media. In a blue tee and denims and silver chains dangling down his neck, Q is a musician to the max. He walks, talks and lives the life. Born in Muscat, Q moved to Karachi and did his entire high schooling here and later moved to Canada. On the other hand is Rup, the man who initiated Josh in the 2000s. Sikh Indian by birth, Rup was born and bred in Canada. He is the mature side of Josh. If Q is playful and funny, Rup is a little more grounded

but his sense of humour can easily match Q as both of them throw in witty punches in between questions. As these two musicians chat about the differences between music scenes all across the globe, one thing that comes out is their level of optimism about the music scene in Pakistan.

If one were to differentiate between the two, it would be a daunting task. They think alike, say the same things and just have a lot in common with, even though they both hail from very distinct backgrounds. "You're not a morning person," says Rup laughingly (to me) when asked how he managed to look so charged up at so early in the morning. Perhaps the only difference really is how they've managed to amalgamate two sensibilities of music and have created a style to call their own. When talking, Q is the one who makes most of the movement, he looks around, and speaks animatedly. Rup doesn't move around too much, he lets his eyes do all the talking. He looks straight at you and speaks directly and openly.

The beginning
Josh began when Rup and his brother Rik decided to form a band. "We did covers of all kinds of songs back then," remembers Rup. In Canada, if you're good, word gets around. Soon, Q was brought in on percussions and as a back-up singer. In 2001, Josh officially came into being as they launched their debut album, Main Hoon Tanha in India. "We were young and we thought that releasing it in India would mean world wide distribution," reminisces Q to which Rup adds, "We actually had no body here and we had no idea how to go about this." Even though, Main Hoon Tanha was never formally released in Pakistan, it found an opening here through the internet. 2001 was the year when there was no Atif or Jal or Ali Zafar. There was no new band making a wave. Not enough local stuff was being out on the internet unlike today. Consequently, Josh developed a following of its own. This helped the band realize the market in Pakistan and how it could be tapped into.

Then came 2004 – the year of Josh. They launched their second album, Kabhi and this time managed to release it outside of India too. Josh teamed up with Sukhbir for 'Ban Farkey' which became a favourite at local parties as well shaadis. Talk about diversifying...

Of course, it was the collaboration with Grammy-award winning Nelly Furtado that made even goras take notice of this mutli-cultured band of desis. "Nelly Furtado is also based in Canada. We approached them but back then, her album was already finished. They gave us a shot and asked us to remix 'Powerless'. We're not Djs, we don't
know how to remix," exclaims Rup and continues, "We changed the melody, added words and made it a whole new track," he says mischievously. The risk Josh took with 'Powerless' paid off. Nelly liked what they did and now the song is not just on her album but has been made into a video too. This team-up led to another remix as Josh have mixed 'Promiscuous Girl' for Nelly Furtado's new album, Loose.

Local scene
In our part of the world, musicians tend to take less risks because the market is not receptive to new sounds. But as music is going global, local artists have started experimenting a little bit more. Some do it in form of music structure that is fusion; others do it out and about like Rushk (Sawal), some mix things around EP (Urdu meets rap) and these are just few examples. Josh realizes this better than any band. This realization comes from working under an environment that is on an international level. Working in Canada and making it as a band in their live circuit is just not easy and if you're singing in a language that is not English, it is more difficult. "Being in a desi band, you create an identity if you're good. Josh had already developed a reputation when I came in, even though they were doing covers," insists Q.

To Josh, it is not about globalisation at all. "With Pakistan opening up to new media, different sound is now being accepted. But at the end of the day, we released 'Kabhi' as our first official track in Pakistan. It was not a dance number. It's good that upbeat tracks have also found a market but in the end, it is about melody and knowing how to create your own style. We took our time and it worked," says Rup thoughtfully.

The kind of energy that Josh puts in their songs, Pakistan would love to see them live. Last time around, these guys couldn't perform much but this time, they have plans to perform in Karachi. "We would love to perform here but if were to do a full-fledged show, we would need to bring 14-15 people! Even at a minimum, we would want 5-6 people. Promoters and organizers usually are not willing to fly out so many people. It's not Karachi to Lahore but Canada to America or Canada

to Pakistan," opines Rup. Realising the importance of live music, Josh has planned out a scheme. The solution to this is as Q puts it, "What we're doing now is trying to setup different musicians within different territories. So when we need to go and do a show anywhere, we will have a local setup. We don't want to play the record out the same way. But we pick the most versatile instruments out and use them in our shows. With musicians set up everywhere, it'll be easier to perform more."

Josh has been a part of some of our locally held music award shows and has performed on DAT. For a band that has always done live music, this would be a shock but Josh sees the larger picture. "We prefer to do it live," says Q and Rup adds, "A lot of these shows here lack proper sound feed. As a result, when you go live on a show and it is aired on television, it sounds much more worse than it really was," reasons Rup and continues, "Now you have a choice; you either go live for people on the ground and look like crap for millions of viewers or you do it on DAT and manage to look acceptable on television."

Now what?
After releasing the album here, Josh has simultaneously released Mausam in almost all parts of the globe including India, the Middle East, Canada and the US.

Despite not having a setup to work with (in Jinnah's land), they're both happy just being here. It is musicians like these who give hope to others. Unlike many who consider India their big and final stop, Q and Rup are of the view that a good song can make it anywhere in the world. They don't compare listeners. To them, each territory has its own identity but there approach has always been, do what you do best and leave the rest to the forces that be. It is a simple way to think and perhaps the only way to keep that success from not getting to your head. Whether Josh manages to grip the nation with their live act remains to be seen, but we sincerely hope that they are at least given a chance to do so...

Junaid Jamshed

by SADIA MAHA | 2:13 PM in | comments (0)

Junaid Jamshed

Junaid Jamshed has been in the limelight for years. First for his music, then for his decision to quit music and now for his fashion label JJ.

Junaid Jamshed was the most successful singer of his time along with his band mates in the legendary Vital Signs. When he quit music, he turned towards fashion designing and currently his label JJ has over 30 outlets all over Pakistan. Junaid never realised that he would get so much success in both music and fashion. "It was never about success," he says as he takes off his prayer cap and scratches his head. Junaid the man gives off a warm vibe.

Animated and easy, Junaid's hands move in all directions when he speaks, but his eyes hold yours. He makes eye contact and keeps smiling. He is a celebrity, but one that celebrities of the day would rather not acknowledge.

Despite having more stores than Amir Adnan, he is not as acknowledged by the fashion fraternity as a successful retailer. Perhaps they can't relate to his religiousity, but then again, that could also be his innate humility.

Junaid has no hang ups about admitting that his success as the lead vocalist in the country could be attributed to people like Shoaib Mansoor, Rohail Hyatt and Shehzad Hasan. Mag4you caught up with JJ recently to talk about fashion, music and of course, the legend that was Vital Signs and in that process, give Junaid his due...

Mag4you: How do you feel about the Danish caricatures? What do you think of the way we are responding to it?
Junaid Jamshed: I feel exactly the way you're feeling. I am a Pakistani. I have more right over this country than you. This soil demands more from me than from you because it gave me a name. Today, if I go to America or India or Africa, people will know me because of the soil I come from. Our Prophet (PBUH) was called a lot of names including a magician, a poet and even a lunatic. By calling him names, his respect and honour wouldn't go down. Would anything happen to him or Allah? No, it wouldn't!

His companions didn't burn down houses and destroy their own properties. This is not the way to deal with the Danish caricatures. They need to be dealt, yes! But in a different way. We are more concerned about the cartoons than what we are doing and how our Prophet must be feeling. What about the believers who are not following his words in abundance every single day. Why aren't we reacting to that? I'm more concerned about that. Our lives are not getting affected because of what others are doing but because of what we are not doing.

Mag4you: Around the time Dil Ki Baat was releasing, you decided to leave music – Why?
Junaid Jamshed: Dil Ki Baat was very close to my heart. Even though I don't listen to those songs anymore but if I go back, some of those songs had a lot to say in my life. Shoaib (Mansoor) and I had composed the track 'Dil Ki Baat' six or seven years before it actually came out. Songs like 'Kaho Na' and songs like 'Intezaar Karna' were very close to me, but at that time I had a change of heart.

Mag4you: How come?
Junaid Jamshed: Because I was going towards the path of Allah and I was learning new things. Things that held priority in my life then were losing their value. And right in the middle of it, Dil Ki Baat came out. It was neither here nor there. I wasn't even aware of its release because I had made plans to leave music. I personally feel that technically it was the best album we (me and Shoaib) ever made.

Mag4you: You were also offered a part in Khuda Key Liye?
Junaid Jamshed: Initially I did take the role but I couldn't go ahead with it because there were a lot of conflicting ideas within the movie as far as I was concerned. My environment had changed. I tried to do it but I couldn't. You must realize that my relationship with Shoaib was not just of an artist and a producer. We were the best buddies. We were the most like–minded people when making music. We used to make a song while taking a stroll. He would make a line and I would make a line and those songs turned out to be huge hits.

Mag4you: Give me a few names?
Junaid Jamshed: 'Tumhara Aur Mera Naam', 'Ab Jiya Na Jaaye', 'Teray Liye Hai Mera Dil', 'Tum Duur Thay', 'Naraz Hum', 'Yaar Nahie Haar Dey'. Now when I look back, it was the best musical duo in Pakistan at that particular time. But then, I realized that I had a huge responsibility on me. This entire youth was doing exactly as I was saying and what was I telling them? Where was I taking them? All these thoughts bothered me.

Mag4you: Vital Signs were a revolution in the Pakistani music scene. You changed our music history forever. VS are legends to date. When you look back, what do you miss about those days?
Junaid Jamshed: I miss... what do I miss? Okay, let me put it this way, when I sit back and look at the past, I'm not ashamed of what I did. In fact when I look at it from the point of sincerity, I must say and I cannot comment on others, but we were the most sincere band when it came to making music. Money was always secondary. That's why myself, Rohail (Hyatt) and Shahi (Shehzad Hasan) never fought on money. There was never a problem with 'I did more; he did less' in the band. We were friends first and band members later. Even today we are friends. And we came to a point where we decided that we won't make more music because our friendship was getting affected. We were all superstars in our own capacity at that time (1997). We realized that we had done good work and we needed a break.

Mag4you: So Vital Signs' separation was temporary?
Junaid Jamshed: At that point, yes. Because I wanted to do music on my own. VS were everyone combined. I wanted to try something on my own. Rohail wanted to do some videos and audio stuff. Shahi wanted to do some studio work. We all became better at what we were doing and it became difficult to get back together and give time to each other.

Mag4you: You all did one concert later for Nazia Hasan. How was it getting back on that stage with VS all over again?
Junaid Jamshed: Oh it was magic! I made more money when I became a solo artist but the feeling I used to get when Rohail and Shahi were with me on stage is incomparable. It was the most beautiful feeling I've ever had in my life. Rohail liked what I did, I liked what he did and the same goes for Shahi. Rohail and Shahi were two of the most brilliant musicians of our times. Salman Ahmed, Rizwan–ul–Haq and Nusrat Hussain – these people were the best musicians of their times. And they still are. God had somehow put all these people together and it was revolutionary.

Mag4you: Musician turns towards fashion – how did that happen?
Junaid Jamshed: When I left music, I had to do something. It was forced; I had to make a living but honestly I had little idea that our brand would one day become such a huge name.

Mag4you: Do you design yourself?
Junaid Jamshed: I used to design myself but not anymore. Now we have professional designers.

Mag4you: What is your design philosophy?
Junaid Jamshed: Less is more

Mag4you: Really?
Junaid Jamshed: (Laughs) I don't mean it in terms of cloth. I mean in terms of embellishment. Since VS days, we used to design our own clothes. That is me, Rohail and Shahi. People used to ask us, "Which designer?" Woh jo ghar ke peeche darzi hota tha, he used to make it. So, I always knew that if I ever were to venture into fashion designing, I would be good at it. I had the brain and I strongly believe that in the Pakistani market, we haven't done enough with Eastern wear. I knew that if I were to make a kurta, it would be fabulous. Look at this (points to the kurta he's wearing), it's got stripes and its dull brown. My idea was to play with the cut, work on a fabric that's wearable as well as fashionable, put some nice buttons. You can go anywhere wearing this. I saw Amir Adnan doing it and I was very inspired. That inspiration encouraged me to go forward but I had a different approach. Once I played around with kurtas, I realised that the idea that men would wear anything was wrong. They too have a standard and it has to be met. When I became successful in that, I ventured into women's wear. I only manufacture cloth; I don't design dresses for women.

Mag4you: What do you think of Pakistani fashion?
Junaid Jamshed: We don't do fashion shows, we're not in any sort of fashion programs so I really don't know. I feel that since JJ has gone to different parts of Pakistan, I've seen and understood that Pakistan is a country with very diverse taste. If you have a designer store in Karachi, you don't really know what's going on Gilgit or Swat. A woman in Swat has nothing in common with a woman living in Karachi. The kinds of colours that sell in Peshawar do not sell in Quetta. I still feel that there is a lot of room for growth. From whatever I know, Mashallah the Pakistani fashion industry is going very well. Some of the names are making great stuff.

Mag4you: Like who?
Junaid Jamshed: I like what Rizwan Beyg does. It's very interesting. I like Faiza Samee and Hasan Shehryar Yasin. Apart from that, I'm a huge fan of Ather and Shehzad Raza, the kind of photography they do. I like Khawar Riaz, very professional, slick and up to date. These guys are doing great work.

Mag4you: How do you feel about the Fashion Design Council?
Junaid Jamshed: I think it's incredible, it is wonderful and they have my full support. Anything that projects the image of Pakistan in a positive and honourable way, I salute people who take such initiative. Designers like Maheen who have gained a huge name in Pakistan, I respect them and I'm always here.

Mag4you: Have you been called by either of the two parties?
Junaid Jamshed: Maheen called me. It was very kind of her and we spoke but then I never got a call from her again. If I am called, I will consult with my fellow members and see what it is.

Mag4you: You have over 30 outlets all over Pakistan. What is your business strategy?
Junaid Jamshed: It's not about economincs, it's a proper system. First, research is done. What kind of market it is? Is it financially feasible? What will be the initial expenditure? We come to a figure and then decide if we should open a store in a certain area. If the sales are good, then one doesn't mind giving a higher rent.

Mag4you: You advertise a lot. How feasible is that?
Junaid Jamshed: There are times when reaching out to people is more important than making money. One year we might not make a lot of profit on a certain product but the next year our advertising is less and we will gain more profit. You have to make a two or three year plan. It is the demand of a company that is growing. We cannot simply bank on the idea that today we open a shop and tomorrow we will make this much profit. We have outlets that make no money but they are there for a certain purpose, the reason being reaching people.

Mag4you: What is your take on the current Pakistani music scene?
Junaid Jamshed: I am really not aware of the scene. However, I still meet my old friends from time to time if I come across them. The other day while I was recording my naat album, I met Ali Haider. It was really good to meet him after a long time. Somehow, he looks younger and younger every time I see him. But I must say something here that listening to the band members is very important. I remember that every time I did something that Rohail said "it won't work" or "don't," he was right. Every time!

Mag4you: If you hadn't been a successful musician, do you think JJ would be so huge?
Junaid Jamshed: Yes, you're right in a way. People knew who I was. But once people come inside the shop, the name isn't enough to convince them to buy. The only advantage is they would know me and come to check out what I was doing.

Mag4you: What is your new album Jalwa–e–Janaan about?
Junaid Jamshed: A lot of people think that it's a naat album. It's not. It's a journey through enlightenment. It's about what I went through. Jalwa–e–Janaan means the person that I really love and it's because of him that I've changed my life.

Mag4you: Who is that person?
Junaid Jamshed: It's the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Mag4you: Any videos from the album?
Junaid Jamshed: Not from this album but I'm doing another album called Mehboob-e-Yazdaan. 'Yazdaan' in Persian means Allah. I'll be releasing videos from that album.

Junaid Jamshed - Badr-Ud-Duja

by SADIA MAHA | 2:04 PM in | comments (0)

Junaid Jamshed - Badr-Ud-Duja

Badr-Ud-Duja Badr-Ud-Duja
 6.89 MB
Ya Habibi (Urdu) Ya Habibi (Urdu)
 4.99 MB
Tariq Bin Ziyad Ki Dua Tariq Bin Ziyad Ki Dua
 3.57 MB
Kamli Wale Kamli Wale
 4.21 MB
Bold And Brave Bold And Brave
 4.83 MB
Surah Al Baqra Surah Al Baqra
 2.24 MB
Madine Ko Jain Madine Ko Jain
 4.79 MB
O Merciful O Merciful
 4.12 MB
Hijrate Nabvi Hijrate Nabvi
 4.96 MB
Mere Allah Tu Kareem Mere Allah Tu Kareem
 5.35 MB
Ya Habibi (English) Ya Habibi (English)
 4.74 MB
Shajrae Nasab (PBUH) Shajrae Nasab (PBUH)
 3.17 MB

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