Celebrity in focus – Mehreen Jabbar

Mehreen Jabbar is a filmmaker, at a very young age, has an extensive portfolio. After directing her first play in 1994 she went on to create work which ranges from short independent art films to commercial serials for television. Her success as a director can be assessed by the fact that her work has appeared in many film festivals around the world including The Hong Kong International Film Festival, The San Francisco Asian-American Film Festival, and The Leeds Film Festival in U. K. to name a few. At home, Pakistan, her exceptional style of story-telling has earned her much praise and several awards.

Mehreen grew up around Pakistan's show business. Her father, Javed Jabbar, is also a filmmaker himself. He has also been running a highly successful advertising agency for about 30 years where she got her first exposure to the television world. Further she went to the United States in order to study film and completed a two year program at University of California Los Angeles. She describes this experience as a crucial part of her training because her teachers were working professionals from the film industry who were able to provide real insights on the art and business of film making.
Mehreen returned to Pakistan to practice her skills professionally. Her first play in 1994 was called “Nivala” which was based on a short story by Ismat Chugtai, one of the foremost authors in the Urdu language. Unfortunately, the decision makers at the state run television of that time declined from airing “Nivala” because it was based on the work of an Indian writer and, subsequently, the idea for the entire series was cancelled. Though this was a hinder but it did not deter Mehreen from doing what she loves. She continued to make short films, feature length plays, and drama serials.
Due to the low quality of films being produced in Pakistan and the shady atmosphere at cinema houses, going to a theater is not a feasible form of entertainment for the mainstream public. Thus, television remains by and far the most popular source of family entertainment. So that has been the industry to which vast majority of writers, producers, directors, as well as, actors turn who wish to polish their expertise and create work with depth and meaning for the audience.

Much of Mehreen’s work has focused on the everyday lives of average Pakistani women and the conflicts they experience from day to day. On the other hand, several directors have created fine plays which are obvious in their attempts to raise awareness of women's rights; Mehreen enjoys the challenge of applying nicety to get her message across. Her viewers often find themselves immersed in the minds of her characters in order to fully understand the characters’ motives. Her telefilm, “Putli Ghar”’ is an example of such work. Another telefilm “Farar” is about three friends, a widow, a working woman, and a third woman who is a student of classical dance. The play shows the struggle of each woman to sort out her life and find a unique identity for herself.

To Mehreen experimenting with a story is one of the most interesting parts of creating a play. She believes that producers are playing it safe and are flat to take on projects which are based on a proven storyline for success. The result is that the same basic plot is repeated over and over again in different plays or films such as - Ramchand Pakistani.

Nevertheless, commercial Pakistani films remain largely unpopular on the conventional side; hence several independent filmmakers have emerged in recent years, such as, Shireen Pasha, Farjad Nabi, Hassan Zaidi, and Mehreen Jabbar herself, who seem to be breathing a new life into the Pakistani art films.

Celebrity in focus: Vaneeza Ahmed

Vaneeza Ahmed nicknamed Vinny born on June 29, 1971 is a Pakistani model and actress. She has earned a reputation of being the most famous female model and celebrity in Pakistan. Initially interested in medicine with a degree in psychology, she joined modeling as a casual hobby only to be become the face of some of the leading brands in Pakistan.
She graduated from Kinnaird College with a bachelor's degree in psychology. In her brief stay at the college, she started to model casually. Not much interested in modeling as a career option, she was showered with offers from various fashion designers, some of which were notable in the Pakistani fashion industry including the likes of fashion designer Nilofer Shahid with whom she did her first shoot, and photographer Khawar Riaz. She is a close friend of the makeup duo Athar and Shahzad, as well as designer Umar Syed. Her initial walks at fashion shows led fashion critics to praise her elegance on the cat-walk. 

Over her fifteen year reign in the fashion industry her business etiquette has helped her to survive her chosen career and win all hearts too. In a country where women are not expected to be make smart and calculated decisions in business matters of monetary concerns Vaneeza always stayed with the career for the sake of money. 

She made her acting debut in Jamal Shah's controversial saga Kal and has since acted in Marina Khan's Tum Hi Tau Ho, Janey Anjaney and Tum Say Mil Ker; Armaan; and Talaash. Most famous role to come her way was that of the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah's daughter “Dina Wadia” in Jamil Dehlavi's 1998 “Jinnah”. Another notable thing about her is that she is a women entrepreneur. She has designed local lawn fabric collection by her own.  The first launch of her collections, also called V9 lawn prints was in March 2006. They were sold-out in a series of exhibition held in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. Her efforts on the V9 prints were highly appreciated by her so many fans, media persons, and among general public as well. 

She is also well-liked by others in the fashion and showbiz industry because of her nice and friendly nature. She helps her colleagues and guides her juniors in a very friendly way. She is not only soft spoken but also a soft hearted person. She is a very down to earth person. She is more common than any other common girl in her real home life. 

Fatima Surayya Bajia

Commonly called as “Bajia” the lady is symbol of courage, faith and true adaptation of centuries which still continues. S9V8KH2RE87N She is a very renowned personality in Pakistan TV, Radio, and stage as a writer. She has achieved pride of performance award in Pakistan and several other awards from abroad regarding his literary and civil work. Remember that she also remained adviser to the chief Minister in Sindh province.
Aroosa and Asavari are two most popular plays by her. She has three sisters and two brothers. They are linked to the industry in one or the other way.  Zohra Nigah is her younger sister and a famous poet. Zubaida Tariq is also her younger sister and a well known cooking expert. Mrs. Kazmi is a famous dress designer and also Bajia’s third younger sister. They three of them have two brothers named as Ahmed Masood Hamidi and Anwer Maqsood both needs no introduction about their work.

Suffering by mouth cancer and her age element that has become conscious of Fatima Surayya Bajia seems to be living a hyperactive life. She described herself as “a civil society horse”. She has not written anything significant during the last seven or eight years as first her mother died and then she lost her two sisters. Furthermore a year or so ago passed away her brother Ahmed Maqsood Hamidi. She was at the age of 14 years when her grandfather published her first novel in India.
In her TV serials she elaborately depicts the culture of the area and the period she sets the story in. In Auraq, the literary program that ran for about two years on PTV, she vividly depicted the culture of the area whether Sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan, Frontier or Kashmir in the stories she included in the program. She surprised many literary critics when she came up with wedding songs purported to be written by Amir Khusrau. She normally snatches of Amir Khusrau’s poetry in a way pick one line or a stanza and then turned them into a complete geet format. She found this activity a more stimulating one as she very well aware of the vocabulary used during that era. By seeing the current crises faced by Pakistan she thinks that the situation in the country is frightening. But she believes in Allah and that He will set things right because among 18 million people at least 16 million are quite innocent and uncritical people.

Skincare treatments for Pakistani women!

The climate of Pakistan is quite hot & dry. All the women in such scenario seek the best skin care products to enhance their beauty or hide any blemishes in daily life. Everyone struggles with skin care issues from time to time and would apply a few general treatments for the healthy skin. In dry climates a decrease in moistness frequently leaves skin feeling dry and uncomfortable. This is particularly true for any layers of the dermis that have been injured by the sun. For this explanation, keeping the skin well hydrated is of greater significance for those who live in very dry climates than for those in clamminess like Pakistan. Hydrated skin begins with a hydrated body. Drink ample of water to offer natural moisture in addition to flush out toxins. Exfoliation is also vital to liberate the skin of old, dry and dead skin cells. The main method of battling dryness is to use a high quality moisturizing lotion for body. Sun, wind, and dry air can also be insensitive on hands. Find skin care products like hand cream that contains glycerin which is an effective moisture retaining substance.

It is much more important to make the skin clean and shine instead of fair in complexion. Firstly apply “sugar mask” every week it works for everyone in three ways as one: it brings life to skin and make it smooth. Two it makes the skin shine a little bit more as it wash out the whole week stored dust through the external skin pores. Three with these two benefits it removes the unwanted hair through skin which darkens the original complexion of the skin.
It is easy to prepare the mask. Three ingredients involve in making first one is white egg portion, second is 2 tab spoon of sugar, 4 drops of lemon juice. Simply stir white egg portion well in pan and then mix up 2 tab spoon of sugar and heat up so that sugar entirely soluble. In last add 4 drops of lemon juice and again heat up a little bit more. Apply on the skin with moderate temperature. Wash with water exactly after 15 min.

The other common problem as a result of depression and aging factor as well is freckles. For this apply “wheat mask” on the affected skin portion twice in a week. Mix wheat flour with vinegar and apply on face where the dark circles are appearing leave the mask until it dries and then wash out with water. In a nut shell, to keep you skin clean, smooth, and fresh & ready for make up all the time apply “Rose water” as a skin cleanser, make up remover and bed time care at night.

Deliverance of women in Pakistan!

Women whether working or not working as professionals are not placed only as label of custodian of family but should be responsible of character building of the whole society. Societies are built on the personalities of women which superficially look under control of men in Pakistan. A capable woman act like backbone of any family, if one of her disqualifies comprising of her values, character, hardworking and devotion for her family and surroundings slips, all matters shatter around men of her concern according to the men dominant culture here. Except in feudal culture her liberation is any way disturbed by the system itself. Women are dominant in all matters of her interests. If she has a wish to exceed in any matter she has lot of opportunity to excel depending upon her devotion, commitment and passion for that particular goal.
In Pakistan the girl’s brought up matters automatically is developing her sense of liberation. Some woman love to behave like childish nature and some families’ groom their girl child as confident and equal sharing person. They are picked by their spouses for their qualities. If Parents themselves degraded their girl child and let them down in front of a male partner she would naturally lose her sense of liberation or might react opposite to this and become disobedient and reactive to hold her importance in this system in which she was first disregarded by her parents.
Those women accept rudeness of men who take it normal from their family life styles and this trend is common in our lower, middle and so called top elite class with the same intensity in the whole Pakistani families no matter resides in whatever country. For lower class it becomes obvious to all as they are in majority and live in open spaces as compared to enclosed elite class who before coming out polish their traces of abused behavior in artificial get up.
The Pakistani women of today enjoy a better status than most Muslim and Middle Eastern women. However, on an average, the women's situation as compared to men is one of systemic subordination although there have been attempts by the government and enlightened groups to elevate the status of women in Pakistani society. In late 2006, the Pakistani parliament passed the Women's Protection Bill, repealing some of the Hudood Ordinances. The bill allowed for DNA and other scientific evidence to be used in prosecuting rape cases. The passing of the Bill and the consequent signing of it into law by President General Pervez Musharraf invoked protests from hard-line Islamic leaders and organization. Some experts also stated that the reforms will be impossible to enforce. President Asif Ali Zardari on January 29, 2010 signed the “Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Bill 2009” which the parliament adopted on January 21, 2010. These are steps have been taken to give more freedom to the women of Pakistan so that they can play a vital role in nation building with ease but it needs true implementation from other ends of parties.