All that Glitters 6

Interview: Ali Zafar 18

Travel 21

Fashion 25

Massarat’s Makeovers 34

Music Review 35

Photo Feature 36

The Addams Family Rendezvous 40

Cuisine 41

Films 44

Stars & Starlets 46

Glamstock 47

Taroscope 48

Aunt Athena 50

EditorInjila Baqir Zeeshan

Sub EditorsFatima Zehra Naqvi

Sahar Iqbal

Creative HeadBabur Saghir

Graphic DesignersJaveria MirzaSana Ahmed

Mian Nasir

PhotographerMohammad Amir Baba

24

Contents

26Ture on the heat this winter

06 I November 21 - 27, 2010

08 I November 21 - 27, 2010

10 I November 21 - 27, 2010

12 I November 21 - 27, 2010

Fashion Street 2010 was a student effort, a charity drive held for the flood victims at Lahore Grand.

Fashion Street

2010

Event

14 I November 21 - 27, 2010

16 I November 21 - 27, 2010

now in Karachi

Fashion Designer Saim Ali has recently launched his label in Karachi at The Designers along with Atiya Khan. Hair and make-up was done by Akif Ilyas and Rokiya. Asad Tareen of The Designer organised the event.

Saim Ali

Naheed & Atiya KhanNazia Malik & Nazneen Tariq Beenish Pervaiz & Saba

Mina Hasan & Hassen Sardar

Abbas & Sana

Amin Gull jee & Mishi Khan

Maha & Ayyan for Saim

Asad Tareen, Saim & Fauzia Tareen

Event

Ali Zafar Jack of all trades

Ali Zafar’s is a n a m e t h a t doesn’t n e e d a n y

introduction. Jack of all trades, he has expounded his expertise not only as a talented painter, but also as an artist in the fields of music and showbiz. Furthermore, he has achieved a new level of stardom in his acting career by starring in a Bollywood film. The year 2010 has been a lucky year for the pop star and for our new Bollywood sensation Ali Zafar, as not only has he taken Bollywood by storm with his debut film ‘Tere Bin Laden’, but also received offers from some big wigs of B-town such as Yash Raj Films.

His news of working in a Yash Raj film has made this ‘Prince of Pakistani Pop’ the talk of town. He will be playing a lead role

in Raj’s upcoming comedy, ‘Mere Brother Ki Dulhan’, alongside Imran Khan and Katrina Kaif. Ali will also be singing three songs in the film.

In fact, his success is not limited to Bollywood as he has also attained fame in Hollywood. His song called ‘Dekh’ from his album ‘Masty’, which was released in 2006, has been featured in the sequel to the Oscar winning film ‘Wall Street’ (1987).

Pakistan Today caught up with this talented hunk for an interview. Ali was in Dubai when he received a note from Fox Pictures which stated that director Oliver

By Sahar Iqbal

Interview

His news of working in a Yash Raj film has made this ‘Prince of Pakistani Pop’ the talk of town. He will be playing a lead role in Raj’s upcoming comedy, ‘Mere Brother Ki Dulhan’, alongside Imran Khan and Katrina Kaif

18 I November 21 - 27, 2010

Interview

Stone liked his song and wanted it for his movie ‘Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps’. “The deal was struck nine months ago; they officially bought the rights from me. I didn’t get to meet Mr Stone or his team but I saw the film and loved it. It was a great feeling to hear my voice in a Hollywood film,” reveals Ali.

It is no secret that Ali Zafar’s ‘Tere Bin Laden’ was an overnight hit which made Rs 45 million, despite the government of Pakistan having banned its screening in Pakistani cinemas. He received worldwide acclaim, as not only was the movie show sold out for seven weeks in a row abroad, but was also selected to be featured as the opening film at Friar’s Comedy Club Film Festival New York this year. Ali Zafar was unable to attend the film festival due to his commitment to assist the flood affected victims in Pakistan at the time. Instead of enjoying his international fame, he chose to return home to support his fellow countrymen in their hour of need.

When inquired about his role in assisting the flood victims, he stated that he had used his painting skills to create a piece titled ‘Contrastical’, which was put up for auction at the Alhamra Gallery of Arts. Amidst several art lovers was Mr Amin Hashwani who set the topic price of $3000, much higher than the original base price of $1000.

Ali Zafar expressed his feelings saying, “I am honoured to be able to do my bit in the initiative taken by the college of

Oliver Stone liked his song and wanted it for his movie ‘Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps’. ‘The deal was struck nine months ago; they officially bought the rights from me.’

This painting is called Contrastical which is made by Ali

Zafar for the aid of flood victims

I 19November 21 - 27, 2010

through the years and comprises of softer and spiritually inclined songs. It consists of generically Sufi music. It comprises of live orchestration but is very simple. It also includes songs from Coke Studio.”

The videos of Ali’s songs are greatly characterised by elements of youth and excitement. However, when asked about the video of ‘Jhoom’, and whether it would follow a similar youthful pattern, Ali responded, “No, it’s completely different. I think the worst an artist can do to himself is remain in awe of his own self forever. One must break out of it. Explore and evolve, reject and reinvent. Break and reconstruct. Sometimes singers keep repeating their ideas in albums because they believe what worked for them five years ago may still appeal to the people. That is playing it safe and can become excruciatingly

monotonous. I believe in doing something different over time. Hence, ‘Jhoom’ is soulful and simple as it speaks to the ‘real’ aspect of life, rather than the ‘glitzy’. This song represents my journey as an artist, which has been more inward than outward and I am very pleased with that.”

Arts and Design and the alumni. I am highly thankful to Mr Amin who purchased my piece for this noble cause.” He further added, “I am glad to know that there are individuals in this country who are willing to support this cause through art.”

Ali is about to release his third album ‘Jhoom’ from his own record company Alif that he launched in June 2010 and recently shot the video for the title song ‘Jhoom’ in India.

Ali, on his evolution as a singer from ‘Huqqa Pani’ to ‘Jhoom’, said, “‘Huqqa Paani’ was more electronic and largely a dance album with a few soulful songs, whereas ‘Jhoom’ illustrates my journey as an artist

‘Tere Bin Laden’ was an overnight hit which made Rs 45 million, despite the government of Pakistan having banned its screening in Pakistani cinemas

Ali Zafar at the set of new album title song “Jhoom”

20 I November 21 - 27, 2010

Travel

The jamb and the lintel were profuse with curvi-linear forms and the arch above the door was another abundance of similarly rich flowers and leaves

By Salman Rashid

Raja Afrasiab, the Sarangal Gakkhar, lives in a lovely old haveli of the classical design in village Hur Do Chir. I had imagined this meant there were two neighbouring villages

where chir trees grew, but I was wrong: there wasn’t a pine tree in sight and there was only one village of this name.

Nor too did Afrasiab know the origin of the name. He told us, however, that the village was formerly called Soga Dutt, ap-parently after an early local influential.

We had left the Mandra-Chakwal road at village Sahang and motored through un-dulating country to fetch up in the village and had found Afrasiab waiting. He told us his family had not one, but two havelis to show. The first one, itself rather austere, had a large, beautifully carved door. Here

were flowers so extravagant that they could only have emerged from an artist’s mind in-tertwined with vines of equally exaggerated style and beauty. Here were sets of pilasters growing out of pots that, according to Kamil Khan Mumtaz, the noted architectural histo-rian, symbolised the treasure of Laxmi.

The jamb and the lintel were profuse with curvi-linear forms and the arch above

When art cost two annas a day

The haveli

I 21November 21 - 27, 2010

Flowers here were so extravagant that they could only have emerged from an artist’s mind intertwined with vines of equally exaggerated style and beauty

the door was another abundance of similarly rich flowers and leaves. In the spandrels shone two sunflower-like de-signs and the outer rectangular panels were again filled in with more pilasters, geometrical patterns and phantasma-goric flowers and vines. The jamb and the lintel were profuse with curvi-linear forms and the arch above the door was another abundance of similarly rich flowers and leaves.

Remote today, the village, situated as it is amid ravines and broken ground, would have been all but inaccessible in 1926 when Zaildar Sultan Mahmood, Afrasiab’s grandfather, had undertaken to build this haveli.

Timber for the door, so Afrasiab relates, came from the market in Jhe-lum town, carted across the Salt Range by camel. Azeem, the master whose celebrity spread wide as the greatest woodworker of the area, came from a neighbouring village and was hired at two annas per day. Such a master would surely have worked with a complement of helpers and this sum would have paid for the lot. For eight months, Azeem and his team laboured over the timbers before they could all be put together to make up the door.

Two annas per day translate into six-ty per month or four rupees and twelve annas per month. Which in turn would mean thirty rupees in all for the eight months it took to complete this fantasy in wood.

Other than that Afrasiab did not know how much the timber and its transportation from Jhelum had cost. Nor did he know the full cost of the haveli.

Done with the door he led us into the main room where Zaildar Mahmood would have entertained his guests. The walls were plain, but the roof was an-other festival of colour. Every inch of the massive rafters was painted over with elaborate designs not very different from what we saw on the door and the panels between the rafters were aglow with what appeared to be pearl. But

of that I could not be sure. A frieze running around the top of the wall just below the roof was yet another riot of colour and design. One of these pan-els had been retouched at a later date, which clearly demon-strated that the earlier finesse had been replaced with gaudy crudity.

This beauty was now all but abandoned, but the other haveli was occupied by Afra-siab and his family. Begun in 1948 by his father Abdur Rauf, the building was completed two years later. This one too was en-dowed with an elaborately carved door. Though somewhat simpler, it was yet a sight to behold. Added to the pilasters,

the curving vines, the fantasy of flowers and the geometric designs was a panel of leaves that went around the jamb and above the arch. These leaves, I im

The Door

22 I November 21 - 27, 2010

agined, symbolised the hooded ser-pent so common in temple architecture.

The haveli itself followed the classi-cal plan with rooms around a central courtyard. Interestingly, the baithak where male visitors were entertained, was not in front, but to one side of the building. The ornate door was thus not laid in the façade, but on this side. Raja Afrasiab disclosed that he had received offers to sell the door, offers that he had rejected. I hope he continues to rebuff such offers in future as well.

An interesting footnote to this tale is the fate of mistri Azeem who crafted the more elaborate of the two doors. As time passed and people gave up spend-ing money on such works of art, his family began shifting their craft to the bigger market at Rawalpindi. Today the descendents of that celebrated artisan run a successful furniture showroom there.

Raja Afrasiab did not know where the showroom was or under what name it went. But he said he could find out. If he does, there will surely be another story.

Another view of the door

The haveli that is now Raja Afrasiab’s home

I 23November 21 - 27, 2010

this winterTurn on the heat

You are bound to sizzle with Ayesha Farooq Hashwani’s new fall/winter collection. Beautifully feminine, the simple, fluid cuts are accentuated with subtle embroidery – and the wintry shades just make the outfits even more tempting.

Photography: Fayyaz Ahmed Designer: Ayesha Farooq Hashwani

Model: AyyanText: Fatima Zehra

Massarat Misbah is a very talented beautician. She has the ability to transform any face to make it look appealing and charming. Her magical touch can do wonders for any woman belonging to any age group. Lounge brings you makeovers of real women and not just fashion models.

Real makeovers for real women

We begin by cleansing and moisturising the skin thoroughly so that the base blends in with the skin texture.

A darker shade of eye shadow is used to define the edge of the eye.

The base eyeshade is also applied beneath the eye to enhance the shape of the eyes.

Next, we apply the mascara, eyeliner and kohl to make the eyes more prominent.

We apply blush-on on cheekbones according to skin tone.

Light colour lipstick is applied to go with the makeover.

You are

invited!to send in your picture with a few words

about yourself and you can

WIN A FREE MAKEOVERto be featured in this column.

Just write to us on: lounge@pakistantoday.com.pk

After makeover

34 I November 21 - 27, 2010

‘Rebuild Pakistan’

Arooj Aftab’s music says it allBy Bushra Shehzad

If not most, many of us would have heard Arooj Aftab’s cover of Leon-ard Cohen’s ‘Halleluja’ being played across many local radio channels. This cover by this young talented girl is as surreal and sublime as the one done by the likes of Jeff Buckley.

Arooj is the first Pakistani girl to have pursued an undergraduate degree in music studies from the Berklee College of Music. Today she is a music producer/engineer, song-writer and singer.

Her originals, ‘Celebration of Life’, ‘Bolo Na’ and ‘Walking’ have also been played across radio channels. Her music is a beautiful blend of acoustic instruments in a Sufi, peaceful, ambient world-fusion setting. She envisions musicians working together as social activists, using music to motivate people and instigate them to make strong, positive changes. With a lineup of musi-cians from Greece, Turkey, India, Malaysia, Japan, Spain and many more, the music to her vocals is lent by the likes of Bhrigu Sahni on guitars, Aman Mahajan on tabla, Mario Carrillo on bass and Jorn Bielfeldt on percussions. The result of Arooj and compa-ny’s efforts is what they have titled ‘Rebuild Pakistan’.

‘Tera Junoon’ is one such song, which talks about the creation of Pakistan, its greatness and the need for the people to

wake up. The lyrics, “Jago, jagao, mere logon ko, tera j u - noon hai” add to

the power of Arooj’s voice and

have result-ed in a song

that not only talks about peace but also exudes

peace. It is, in fact, healing. The video of

the song shows images taken from parti-tion and the recent floods, and in the back-ground excerpts of speeches by people like Jinnah are being played.

‘Man Kunto Mola’ is an adaptation of a Sufi kalaam originally sung by Abida Parveen. Her sublime vocals lend a certain feel to it and the solitary slow guitars in the background let her voice be the focus of the song.

‘Aye Na Balam’ is the perfect blend of what you may call East meets West. Arooj’s perfect vocals give the real, classical Paki-stani touch to it, while in the background the bass by Mario and the slow guitars by Sahni develop a higher note in consonance with Arooj’s rising pitch of vocals.

‘Hai O Rabba’, originally done by Resh-ma, is an acoustic duo with Sahni and Mekaal Hassan on bass. The song starts with a soft melody being played on bansuri and blossoms into a sublime song.

The vision behind all the songs is to help change the global perspective on Pakistan. The vision is to rebuild Pakistan’s image abroad and urge Pakistani citizens to engage in this rebuilding activity. Arooj’s music is refreshing and a peaceful blend of world instruments with contemporary clas-sical Pakistani vocals. She is the new Abida Parveen in the making, I’d say, and if you haven’t heard her yet, visit her Facebook page or listen to her songs on YouTube.

The vision behind all the songs is to help change the global perspective on Pakistan. The vision is one to rebuild Pakistan’s image abroad and urge Pakistani citizens to help engage in this rebuilding activity

Music

I 35November 21 - 27, 2010

36 I November 21 - 27, 2010

Photo Feature

Photography: Injila Baqir Zeeshan

nightBurj Al Arab’s colourful light show at night can be seen in the background of the exquisite Madinat Jumeirah Hotels, Dubai

Right: Al Hadheerah restaurant at Bab- ul- Shams lies hidden among

rolling sand dunes surrounding Dubai. It captures the spirit of old Arabia perfectly with lively

entertainment of belly dancers, henna tattoos, camel rides, falcon

displays and live bands

Left: Madinat Jumeirah has been designed on the concept of old Arabia. It is a totally luxurious set of hotels in the heart of Dubai. This is a place of contrasts offering you sublimely relaxing times to the fun-filled exotic adventures. The rooms have been designed like Arabian Summer courtyard houses. There are meandering waterways, wide open beaches, lush gardens and tranquil pathways that go winding up to your residence in this tranquil abode. A speedy car has just managed to escape out of this shot.

Far into the

I 37November 21 - 27, 2010

Right: Al Qasr means ‘The Palace’ and it is the centre-piece of Madinat

Jumeirah. The main entrance is a tribute to an age-old majestic

architectural elegance

Left: Al Qasr is approached via a tree-lined avenue, adorned with beautifully sculpted Arabian gold gilded horses, truly reflecting a Sheikh’s idea of beautification

The Hazuri Bagh in Lahore Fort was built by Maharajah

Ranjit Singh in 1813 to celebrate the capture of the famous Koh-i-Noor

diamond from Shah Shujah of Afghanistan

38 I November 21 - 27, 2010

Right: Truck art converts these monstrosities which dominate the roads, into artistic

canvases in motion.They come covered in myriad forms of poetry and paintings in

brilliant colours. The luminosity of the designs shines through the night

Below: Al Mirani Fort, Muscat, Oman was built in the mountains in 1580. It stands as a proud monument of a glorious era of Omani gallantry and its martial heritage

Left: The National Gallery in London, founded in 1824 houses over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900 in its home on Trafalgar Square

Above: The relationship between the Houses of Parliament, London and the River Thames is centuries old. A famous

incident in the history of this relationship is that of the ‘Great Stink’ of 1858. Unable to cope with the amount of water

emanating from toilets, factories, slaughter houses, and breweries, the drains expelled sewage into River Thames. Work

in the Houses of Parliament was severely affected by the ensuing smell, to such an extent that curtains were soaked in chloride of

lime to suppress the noxious stench

40 I November 21 - 27, 2010

‘The Adams F a m i l y R e n d e z -vous’ was s t a g e d by Crea-tive Al-

ley Productions at the Gaddafi Stadium Alhamra Art Cultural Complex on the 11th and 12th of November 2010. Produced by Mirrors Entertainment, the play cast a number of talented young individuals aged between 15 and 18 years of age. The youth showcased the talent present in them in a manner that brought out the creativity and innovation in thought, dance and gestures.

‘The Addams Family Rendezvous’ revolves around the aura and mystique of witchcraft and enchantment. It is

Halloween and the Addams Fam-ily are preparing for it. The Addams Family is bonded by strength of faith in each other and loyalty and trust. Mr Norman, a neighbour, jealous of their power and unity, tries to break it by convincing Wednesday that her parents talk false.

Meanwhile, as the Addams Fam-ily goes out, Ophelia and Dagwood break into their mansion. Wanting to rob some money and jewels they act as statues as the family returns.

The play is full of sexy and catchy dances and songs. As the sexiness of black hits the stage it enthralls and captivates the audience.

‘The Addams Family Rendezvous’ was a remarkable effort put together by the infant production house. Being their debut production, it was a qual-ity effort. The play was well rehearsed and the props and costumes were in sync with the theme.

The Adams Family

By Beenish Mehmood

RendezvousPlay Review

I 41November 21 - 27, 2010

La Atmosphere is that un-imposing little restaurant that’s synonymous with Defence itself. Its interior is simplistically minimal yet posh and urban, and the tables are laid out in a man-

ner that makes the double-story place notably airy and spacious. Colours are subdued with the wooden floor and furnishing accentuating the subtle co-siness. Service is amiable and swift, and food presentation is cookbook-like beautiful. Sounds nice, right? What about the food? Absolutely delicious. La Atmos-phere touts itself as offering an attrac-tive range of nutritious dishes low on calories and high on flavour. And it so lives up to its claim. There is a variety of entrees to choose from: pizzas, lamb, mutton, seafood, chicken and beef, all feature on the menu along with appe-tizers and salads. The special La Atmos-

phere salad is a mélange of ripe tomatoes, crisp iceberg, juicy ol-ives and creamy cottage cheese drenched in spicy French dressing. Tar-ragon chicken is perfectly marinated and grilled, and served on a tempting bed of spinach and spaghetti. Tiger prawns are done to perfection: served with stir-fried vegeta-bles and boiled rice, they are succulent and oozing with flavour. Take my advice and do not leave with-out satisfying your sweet tooth – you would thank me. Although you can choose among the various smoothies, shakes and desserts, I recommend ti-ramisu. It’s heavenly to say the least.

Its rich creaminess simply melts in your mouth. It’s guaranteed you will wipe your platter clean in minutes. I believe I’ve given you reason enough to head to La Atmosphere the next time you plan to dine out with your partner, friends, colleagues or family. Good food, good ambience, good service, good everything. And mind you, this is no exaggeration. Don’t believe me? Go see for yourself.

Although you can choose among the various smoothies, shakes and desserts, I recommend tiramisu. It’s heavenly to say the least. Its rich creaminess simply melts in your mouth

Cuisine

By Fatima Zehra Naqvi

À La Atmosphere!

42 I November 21 - 27, 2010

Chef Abdul Manan has worked with Royal Palm, World Fashion Cafe, Hot Wok Cafe in Lahore, Eye Television Network, ALite,

Masala, Style360 and APlus, and also runs his own catering business by the name of

Urban Gourmets.

Boneless Chicken HaandiINGREDIENTS

Chicken, boneless thigh pcs 250gmPuree Tomatoes 4 medium Onion 1 mediumGarlic cloves 4Water 1 cup(Boil all the above for 15 minutesthen blend and sieve to form a smooth paste)Ginger 2 tbspGreen chilies 2Cream 2 tbsp

Oil ½ cupWater ½ cupGaram MasalaCumin 1 tspBlack peppercorns 1 tspCardamom seeds ¼ tsp(grind the above ingredients)Red chilli powder 1 tspTurmeric powder ½ tspSalt ¾ tspCoriander powder 1 tsp

METHOD

Heat oil in a vessel. Put chicken pieces and fry it till they change colour. Add in puree and all dry spices except garam masala, and cook it till oil separates. Add garam masala and cream and cook for a while. Lastly, add green chillies and ginger julienne. Serve in a haandi with a dollop of cream on top.

Note: use 1 tsp dry fenugreek if using mutton or beef

Homemade NaanINGREDIENTS

Flour 500gmYogurt 2 tbspSalt ½ tspSugar 2 tspOil 2 tbspYeast 2 tspBaking powder ½ tspWater as requiredMilk powder 2 tsp

METHODMix all ingredients and knead with luke-warm water to form soft dough. Cover with damp cloth and leave in a warm place to rise. When the dough doubles in size, punch it down and make ten balls out of it. Roll out each ball into eight-inch discs, glaze with milk, sprinkle sesame seeds and bake for ten minutes in hot oven. Serve with haandi chicken.

Recipes

I 43November 21 - 27, 2010

Grilled Thai Chicken Chops

INGREDIENTS

6pcs chicken chops Marinade Thai Chilli paste 2 tbspGarlic paste 2 tspSoy sauce 2 tspLemon juice 2 tspOyster sauce 2 tbspFish sauce 2 tsp

METHOD

Flatten each chop with kitch-en hammer. Mix all marinade ingredients and leave to mari-nade for at least two hours. Grease a grill pan and cook till char grill marks appear. Serve with warm mint and potato salad.

Mint and Potato SaladINGREDIENTSmint leaves 2 tbsp chopped Potatoes 2 large, boiled and diced Thai Chilli paste 1 tbspBrown sugar or honey 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp

METHOD

Mix chilli paste, lemon juice, and honey in bowl. Toss pota-toes in it garnish with chopped mint and serve as a side dish with chops.

Celebrity’s favourite

Freiha Altaf likes to eat Chicken Fajita

Chicken FajitaIngredients

2 tablespoons canola oil3 boneless chicken breast halves, cut in thin strips

1 medium onion, cut in wedges2 cloves garlic

4 mild green or red chilli peppers, seeded and sliced

1 sweet red bell pepper, seeded and cut in strips1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut in strips

1 zucchini, trimmed, cut in strips8 flour tortilla, warmed

1/2 cup sour creamguacamole

1 bunch green onions, trimmed and sliced

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet; cook the chicken strips over high heat, stirring constantly for five

minutes or until cooked. Drain and set aside. Add the onion, garlic and chilli peppers to the oil in

the pan and sauté over high heat for two minutes. Add the bell peppers and zucchini; cook over high heat for four minutes or until the vegetables have begun to have a blackened look around the edges.

Return the chicken to the pan and heat until sizzling hot. Serve right away, with warm tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, sliced green onions, and

chopped tomatoes. Serve with hot cooked rice and refried beans, if desired.

44 I November 21 - 27, 2010

‘Break Ke Baad’Release date: November 26, 2010Director: Danish AslamStar cast: Imran Khan, Deepika Padukone, Sharmila Tagore and Shahana GoswamiGenre: Romance

Synposis: Abhay Gulati and Aaliya Khan have known each other since they were four years old. Their friendship turns into love at the tender age of 15, when Abhay realises Aaliya is the girl for him. Aaliya’s life is defined by her burning desire to become an actress and she is unmindful of what or who comes in her way. Abhay, who is still unsure about what he wants to do, finds himself competing with Aaliya’s incessant plans and projects to fulfill her dreams. While their relationship blooms because of their personality differences, the baggage because of these differences also grows silently.

‘Burlesque’Release date: November 24, 2010Director: Steven AntinStar cast: Cher, Christina Aguilera and Cam GigandetGenre: Drama

Synopsis: Ali (Aguilera) is a small-town girl with a big voice who escapes hard-ship and an uncertain future to follow her dreams to LA. After stumbling upon The Burlesque Lounge, a majestic but ailing theatre that is home to an inspired musical revue, Ali lands a job as a cocktail waitress from Tess (Cher), the club’s proprietor and headliner. Burlesque’s outrageous costumes and bold choreog-raphy enrapture the young ingenue, who vows to perform there one day. Her spectacular voice restores The Burlesque Lounge to its former glory, though not before a charismatic entrepreneur (Eric Dane) arrives with an enticing proposal.

‘Love and Other Drugs’Release date: November 24, 2010Director: Edward ZwickStar cast: Jamie Randall, Anne Hathaway , Oliver Platt, Gabriel Macht and Judy GreerGenre: Romantic comedy

Synopsis: Anne Hathaway portrays Maggie, an alluring free spirit who won’t let anyone or anything tie her down. But she meets her match in Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal), whose relentless and nearly infalli-ble charm serve him well with the ladies and in the cutthroat world of pharmaceutical sales. Maggie and Jamie’s evolving relationship takes them both by surprise, as they find themselves under the influence of the ultimate drug: love.

In cinemas now!

Films

‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1’Release date: November 19, 2010Director: David YatesStar cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carte, Ralph Fiennes, Robbie Coltran, Michael Gambon and Alan RickmanGenre: Fantasy

Synopsis: Voldemort’s power is growing stronger. He now has control over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide to finish Dumbledore’s work and find the rest of the Horcruxes to defeat the Dark Lord. But little hope remains for the trio and the rest of the wizarding world, so every-thing they do must go as planned.

‘Heartless’Release date: November 19, 2010 Director: Philip Ridley Star cast: Jim Sturgess, Clémence Poésy, Noel Clarke and Joseph MawleGenre: Thriller

Synopsis: Jamie Morgan’s life has always been blighted by the large, heart-shaped birthmark on his face. He lives in an urban world dominated by a terrifying gang culture, whose random vio-lence has convinced Jamie that the world is meaningless and ugly. But then Jamie meets someone who tells him the truth. The vio-lence is not random. It’s far from chaotic. There is a reason for eve-rything. Once Jamie accepts this the world reveals itself as a thing of great beauty and that’s when his real nightmare starts.

‘Legally Blonde’‘Legally Blonde’ as the name implies is a juxtaposition of two polemical oppo-sites. How can a lawyer be dumb? Now here is where the catch lies. The film star-ring Reese Witherspoon (Elle) as the protagonist is a portrayal of her sorority and outgoing behaviour. She is a dumb blonde and she is happy with that. However, the plot takes an interesting turn when she falls in love with Walter (Mathew Davis) who is a sham intellectual studying at Harvard Law School. He insults her dumbness and then ditches her. She is heartbroken and decides that she cannot allow people to tread all over her. She joins the law school at Harvard. She faces a lot of unbending circumstances but fate favours her. She becomes Harvard’s top lawyer and graduates with honours.

The film threads several funny episodes in its wake. The best part is when Elle teaches the women around her an important gesture of ‘bend and snap.’ It is a gesture that wins the hearts of many men. So try it out girls! The film won a Golden Globe Award, Best Motion Picture: Musical or Comedy and ranks 29th on the Bravo 2007 list of 100 funniest movies. Witherspoon also won a very well deserved Best Actress Award. This movie is really a treat for all those who believe in change. Change is the key to success and leading a happy life. A truly inspiring movie, you must see it if you haven’t already!

Beenish Mahmood

I 45November 21 - 27, 2010

Timeless Classics

46 I November 21 - 27, 2010

Stars & starlets

Aamir fears masses may not like ‘Dhobi Ghat’

Rohit reveals Ajay’s secret

‘Ash is a real Indian beauty’He’s a die-hard Akshay Kumar loyalist and he’s the one who created the dream jodi — Akshay and Katrina Kaif. But when Vipul Shah roped in Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for ‘Action Replay’, everyone suspected trouble with this trio. “There’s no point in creating controversy about my movie when there is none,” says Vipul. Then why did he choose Ash over his favourite gal, Katrina? He revealed, “I wanted a true Indian beauty for this role and Ash perfectly fit the character.” Well well, we wonder what the lovely Katz has to say about this. Or is she just a Barbie beauty for Vipul?

Director Rohit Shetty revealed why Ajay Devgn tattooed his daughter Nysa’s name and not that of his wife Kajol. Though Ajay Devgn doesn’t really like the idea of endorsing films on television shows, he surely seems to have had a good time along with the entire male cast of ‘Golmaal 3’ on ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ with Amitabh Bachchan. Like the film the episode was filled with as much comic and dramatic moments. When Amitabh asks Rohit about the tattoo fascination, he quickly diverted the attention to Ajay Devgn who has a prominent tattoo displaying his daughter’s name. Rohit wittily commented that the reason Ajay did not tattoo his wife’s name is because he does not want to remember that he was ever married.

Lily Allen’s devastated after miscarriageSinger Lily Allen, who suffered a miscarriage, is asking her fans to say a little prayer for her unborn son. Allen, 25, was around six months pregnant and the news came when an official statement was released by her spokesperson. This is her second miscarriage in the past three years. She left a plea for everyone to spare a thought for her child on her Twitter page. “Lily is inconsolable. Sam’s comforting her but she’s devastated, friends had been texting h e r asking how she was, so she felt she had to come out with the news publicly otherwise it was going to be painfully awkward,” a source said.

Superstar Aamir Khan says his forthcoming film ‘Dhobi Ghat’, which is his wife Kiran Rao’s directorial debut, may not be liked by the masses. “I fear that masses may not like ‘Dhobi Ghat’ because it is a very fine and delicate film. People who understand film, people who are sensitive - this film is for them. This is not a mainstream film,” said Aamir. ‘Dhobi Ghat’ tells the tale of how people from different classes are drawn together in compelling relationships. Though he is apprehensive about people’s reaction,

Aamir says, “I think this is the best film of my production house. I am really happy and excited about this film.” ‘Dhobi Ghat’ is scheduled to hit theatres January

31, 2011.

Sonam’s so very non-starryThere are stars. And then there are starry tantrums. While we love the former, we loathe the latter. But well, that comes with stardom, so we can’t blame the beauties. Thankfully, the lovely Sonam Kapoor is slightly different. Apparently, she’s a sweetheart on the sets and all the production guys love her attitude. She makes no bones about the fact that she’s high maintenance and quite a spendthrift, and she pays up for herself. So, while shooting, it works in her favour. The gal gets her own food and other necessities, and doesn’t order anyone other than her own man Friday to get things organised.

Stars & Starlets

I 47November 21 - 27, 2010

Celebrate your love with the perfect ring

The rings we choose to wear and the stones in them exercise their particular significance and power on us. Here are a few of the latest ring designs from designers all over the world. Have your lady love pick her favourite and order at your jeweller.

Glamstock

Your spread indicates that expressing your individuality is always important to you, and this will be especially true now. You are ready to make a new beginning this time. Socialising is a plus, but one friend may be moody. Be careful while discussing important family matters. You will feel tired due to overwork; rest is very necessary for your health. You can achieve great success by expanding your sphere of interests. You will meet with chances of advance-ment. You should avoid failing to win the cooperation of others.

Your spread indicates that expressing your individuality is always important to you, and this will be especially true now. You are ready to make a new beginning this time. Socialis-ing is a plus, but one friend may be moody. Be careful while discussing important family matters. You will feel tired due to overwork; rest is very necessary for your health. You can achieve great success by expanding your sphere of interests. You will meet with chances of advancement. You should avoid failing to win the cooperation of others.

The ambition card Dec 22 - Jan 21

AFTAB/CAPRICORN

The self-card Jan 21 - Feb 19DUA/AQUARIUS

The sensitivity card Feb 20 - Mar 20JAL/PISCES

The aura card Mar 21 - Apr 20FIZA/ARIES

The strength card Jul 24 - Aug 23QUWAT/LEO

The growth card Jun 22 - Jul 23IRTIQA/CANCER

The love card May 22 - Jun 21

ASHIQ/GEMINI

The physical change card Apr21 - May21

WISAAL/TAURUS

In the next couple of days, you should be enjoying your time with your old friends. Some expanding career opportunities could make this an interesting week for you. People should be willing to support your efforts. Focus your energies on doing what’s right and try not to let your ambi-tions get too far ahead of you. You are bound to have a taste for adventure and will really want to expand your horizons in some way. Follow your intuition because this is the key of the week.

Your spread shows that you need to go out and socialise with people at high places. You will be in a position of responsibilities and make important decisions. You will see the fruit of your labour in the form of financial reward. Family will be of great help and support. You will please a close relative if you show your affection. New ventures, plans and projects will boost your confidence. Change of place or a job will bring long-term gains. Evenings with friends will be exciting. Avoid looking for quick results.

Your spread shows that your boss is agreeable and very gener-ous to you. You can ask for your promotion or increase in salary. Your lover/partner will be more understanding. Per-sonal relationships are satisfactory in the spread. New deal after two or three days will bring good dividends. Situation is very tricky for businessmen. You should discuss with a senior person before signing legal documents because your spread indicates confusion in this regard. Re-consideration is the key of the week.

Your spread indicates that it’s time for you to be conservative, not that you find that too hard to be. You’ll find comfort in this and avoid fights. Try to explain to others why being conservative and stubborn is healthy in your present work. Don’t start any new projects until you have finished the oth-ers. Think of some ideas and start by making small changes. This week relationships with your parents, your boss, or your subordinates tend to be confused. Show loyalty where it is due however.

Your spread indicates that giving donations, charity and help-ing those at need will bring mental peace and satisfaction. Your creativity will bring you appreciation and rewards. You will receive important invitations from unexpected sources. Be careful and put your things in the right place otherwise you will lose them. Pressure at work and home might make you short-tempered but after two days things will get back to normal. Low-fat food is recommended. Stone of the week is Emerald.

Your spread shows that you will find friends supportive, but be careful of what you say. You will have some spare time this week for socialising and building new relationships and contacts. You will be extremely creative, and in a roman-tic mood, but work pressure will change your mood. Your ability to charm others will make you popular. Many new investment opportunities will come your way but you need to plan in advance to take advantage.

THE ZODIAC AND EASTERN TAROT By Mariam Aftab

Nov

embe

r 21

- 27

, 201

0

48 I November 21 - 27, 2010

The patience card Aug 24 - Sep 23THEHRAO/VIRGO

The magician card Sep 24 - Oct 23SAHIR/LIBRA

The confusion card Oct 24 - Nov 22

INTISHAR/SCORPIO

The luck card Nov 23 - Dec 21KISMET/SAGITTARIUS

Tel: +92 (42) 35751231, 35710452Websites:www.mariamhealingcenter.com, www.innerstrengthhome.org

Celebrity Couples&

CompatibilityNicole Ritchie and Joel Madden

Nicole RitchieSeptember 21, 1981Berkley, California

Unknown birth timeSun Sign: Virgo

Moon Sign: Cancer

Joel MaddenMarch 11, 1979

Waldorf, MarylandUnknown birth time

Sun Sign: PiscesMoon Sign: Leo or Virgo

Q: My name is Hamid and my date of birth is April 2. what stone should I wear for good luck?

A: Moon Stone is good for your luck.

Mariam Aftab is a renowned healer offering self-help courses and counselling services. Readers can send in

their questions regarding any problems at mariamhealingcenter@gmail.com

Ask the Expert:

Mariam Aftab

You should be focused on achieving as much as you possibly can. You will probably be eager to do whatever you can to prove yourself and bolster your reputation right now. Now is the time to make a good impression because it could really end up paying off in the long run. Money position will im-prove but your health might cause some concern. Light ex-ercise, like jumping, running or cycling, will give you extra energy to achieve fitness and personal pleasure goals.

This week you will receive gifts and rewards from friends. Sports persons will participate in competitions and emerge winners. Your ability to give your viewpoints in a lucid man-ner will win you appreciation from your friends. Plan out your projects well to reap profits. Relations with superiors will im-prove as you keep to your commitment and show favourable results. This week is good to seek legal advice. Colour of the week is White.

This week will be happy for you, with your cherished tradi-tions bringing you the stability you crave. Beware of travel, however, as it could be very frustrating for you and people drive you crazy with their weirdness and you struggle for the strength to continue. Work to repair your ego and you can deal with it all. Prosperity is directing your natural optimism and goodwill to some area where you want to expand and grow. The source of energy is your desire to gain insight into the underlying feelings and motives of others.

Your spread shows that you may feel added responsibilities in your domestic and family life. Avoid trying to dominate family situations. It’s a good time to make long-term domestic goals with a view to your career and finances. Consult your family doctor because you may suffer throat and chest problems at the end of this week. You will achieve better mental discipline. Delay in some important tasks may confuse you in the mid-week. Smile is the key of the week.

With Nicole we can narrow down her Moon to Cancer and Joel has either a Leo or Virgo Moon. A Virgo Moon for Joel would increase this compatibility.

His Pisces Sun is opposite Nicole’s Virgo Sun - opposites do attract, but not so astrologically. The attraction between Joel and Nicole is obvious; they have

two Venus and Mars aspects. Joe’s Mars is trine Nicole’s Venus and his Venus is opposite her Mars. This gives major sparks to any relationship. However, that might be all this relationship is - attraction. This couple’s relationship

looks like a short term love affair.

I 49November 21 - 27, 2010

Dear A.AI am 30 years old woman who is caged inside her home. I have done my graduation and my parents didn’t allow me to study further. Now a days they are not even looking for a suitable spouse for me. I am in chaos and distress. I am the only one left in my house who is unmarried. All of my friends are married and I am a laughing stock for them. People around me give taunting looks to me as if it’s my fault. Tell me what to do. I am in distress. Dear seeker, not being married at the age of thirty has undoubtedly become a big tabu in our society,but on the other hand this is also true that its nt the end of this world. There are much more important thing in life to do rather than just to sit and wait to get married. Your problem is that you don’t have any thng to do ,and as we all know that an idol mind is a devils workshop,so you also feel as if you have become a laughing stock for others. Indulge your self in some thing productive. If yu are not allowed to study further thre are still many more tings to do even while sitting at home. Look around and you will be able to find some productive activity for yur self. You can also take this time as a blessing and work towards strengtheining yur relationship with allah and your family,as time gone never comes back.l. Dear A.AI want to work in theater as in professional theater. I have potential to act really well on stage. The problem is that my parents are not allowing me to join it . The recent modern theater is not at all bad but they don’t believe in it and they are forcing me to leave this passion. Please suggest me a way so that I can convince them to allow me for joining theater.

Dear pationate,You said that theatre is your passion,and now in order to make your passion your profession you really need to prove yur self. If we look at history we can see that all successful people have worked really hard in order to follow their passion . unique things require to be approved,and it takes time . listen to what your family wants from you and work towards finding a middle way where you can act according to their desires,as well as can also do theatre side by side.once you make a mark in theatre ,you can shift to it full time and they wil also be convinced. Dear A.AI was married since a year ago and my parents were quite liberal. I am having problems with my husband. He is really conservative and he never allows me to drive or to go out of my house. He is suspicious about my character. He doesn’t trust me and can’t understand my feelings. I am living a miserable life. I have no way out except for suicide. I don’t want this sort of life. please suggest me a way out. Dear distressedLike all relationships marriage is also a very delicate relationship,that grows with the passage of time .it requires a lot of patience and understanding to built this relationship and make it strong. The basic thing in this bond is trust and honesty,which seems to be lacking in your relationship with your husband.no matter how conservative he is you can win his heart with lots of love and trust . you need to understand that in order to get something you first have to give it,so my advice to you is that first gain your husbands trust with love care andunderstanding .once you rule his heart then you will be ruling the world as well.

50 I November 21 - 27, 2010