Last week we exposed the infighting currently raging between two factions of the already damaged film industry of Pakistan. The mismanaged and allegedly manipulated national film awards ceremony acted as the proverbial last straw on the back of film producers, which caused a wedge in the top echelon of cinema industry in the country.
How much damage can the simmering bickering and rancorous interaction among film celebrities in Lahore cause was manifest in yet another failure of the release of the latest film produced from Lahore, Sahib Log, which had earlier on been billed as an innovative bilingual production.
Produced originally in Pushto it was released on the national circuit after being dubbed in Urdu. The saving grace, however, was that the Pushto version of the film was well received in areas where this language is spoken and understood, but its Urdu version, which was meant for wider audiences in the country proved a dismal failure.
As a consequence of numerous flops and the continued pressure from across the border exerted through cable TV, the Pakistan Cinema Management Association has decided to launch a 'Cinema Bachao' (save cinema) movement in the country. A spokesman of the Association said that the purpose of the movement was to protect, what he called, the basic rights of cinema owners by demanding a reduction in taxes and electricity bills of cinema halls.
In his opinion, the only remedy for the chronically sick cinema industry in Pakistan lay in the import and screening of Indian films in the country.
He lamented that the Ministry of Culture, Government of Pakistan had not taken appropriate steps to help the ailing industry during the past several years, despite a number of approaches and appeals made to the Government by the owners of cinemas.
Izzat Majeed and Mushtaq Soofi have earned names for them in the world of entertainment. They are busy in recording afresh the devotional songs of Sufi poets of Pakistan. So far, together they have produced two compressed discs containing musical renditions of the poetry of Bulley Shah, and ghazals recorded in the voices of Mian Shaharyar and Indian singer Hari Harran.
The Indian singer stayed in Lahore for a fortnight and lent his voice for the recording of ghazals of a number of modern and classical poets. These CDs have already been released.
The duo of producers Izzat Majid and Mushtaq Soofi has now come up with yet another CD, which contains 12 new songs of folk singer Reshmaan composed by Wazir Afzal and Qadir Shaggan. For the latest CD, Reshmaan has recorded in her voice the poetry of Bulley Shah, Shah Hussain and several traditional Rajesthani songs.
The album was recorded at Folk Studio in Lahore and mixed and mastered at the world famous Abbey Road Studios in London, where Izzat Majid stays and manages his business This CD will be released in Pakistan soon.
A mehfil-e-mauseeqi was held at Lahore Arts Council on July 11 in which singers Sameena Iqbal, Habib Ali took part. Other crooners who also demonstrated their performing skill were Saara Rizwan, Maleeha Rizavan, Saima Nasir and Saara Raza Khan. They are relatively lesser known singers.
Habib Ali, who arranged the mehfil is a non-professional singer, who prides himself on his ability to emulate the singing styles of the late Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan and his brother Barkat Ali Khan. Listening to a dadra and a thumri recorded in his voice this scribe was impressed by his strong proclivity for semi-classical modes of melodic _expression, which he seemed to have mastered and renders with verve, feeling and aplomb.
Death occurred in Lahore last week of Ms Farrukh Nigar Aziz, one of the pioneers of theatre in Pakistan. She was the eldest among four highly educated and talented sisters born, bred, raised and educated in Lahore in liberal traditions.
By establishing her own theatre group with the name of Alpha Theatre in mid-1960s she produced a number of plays, the first being Hedda Gabbler, the famous Ibsen play, which she directed ans staged at the APWA auditorium.. Cast for this play was drawn from Kinnaird College for Women and Government College for Men, already famous for the production of quality theatre.
A dynamic person, who dedicated her entire life for quality theatre in Pakistan, Farrukh Nigar Aziz will long remembered for her ebullient talent and contributions to promoting healthy and purposeful entertainment in the country.
The first death anniversary of comedian Akhter Ali alias Albela who died a year ago was quietly observed in Lahore on July 17, 2005.
An accomplished entertainer, late Albela used films, stage and TV to vent his creative expressions although he made his debut as a singer. Hailing from a family of professional singers, he changed the course of his career by opting for acting in comedy plays in which he soon excelled his contemporaries.
Addressing a press conference at PTV Centre, Lahore last week, the Chief Executive of PTV Central Employees Union claimed that the dynamic fiscal and managerial policies pursued by the incumbent Managing Director had resulted in the recovery of an amount of Rs 2.5 billion from a number of advertising agencies.
It ended up in a net profit of Rs 220 million for the electronic medium during the fiscal year 2004-5. At the same time, he also lamented that governments in the past (mis)used the potential of the official TV Channel for the fulfilment of their own political goals and agenda. He demanded of the management to discontinue Bazm-e-Tariq quiz show anchored by a turncoat politician cum, which was economically not a viable stint.
Jointly sponsored by UNESCO and Lahore College for Women University a three-day seminar on "Strengthening, Networking and Reviewing Current Programs and Curricula of Women and Gender Study Centers in Pakistan" was held in Lahore on July 14-16.
Participants in the seminar emphasised the need for empowering women in Pakistan, adding that educated women should take the responsibility of changing and improving the social and moral ethos of the country. Chief guest, (Federal Minister) Ashifa Riaz Fatyana, highlighted the role of Federal and provincial governments in promoting the status of women in Pakistan.
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