Nishabd**

Nishabd is Ram Gopal Varma’s conscious effort to break away from the stereotypical reputation he has developed with films like Satya, Company, James and Sarkar. But after watching this film, you simply want Varma to go back to the crime/suspense genre he excels at. Nishabd, despite its bold story line is a bundle of cliches with a lackluster screenplay to boot. Nishabd is not a novel concept. Older man/younger woman and vice versa has been done many times before. In fact, its been done in Indian films quite a few times. Hence, the only way this film could’ve been interesting if Varma had played with the idea and had spun the story in a different dimension. Unfortunately, he does no such thing.
Amitabh Bachchan plays Vijay, a photographer, who lives in a picturesque hill station with an equally perfect family. Amrita, played to perfection by Revati is his simple housewife. Life is great until daughter, Ritu (Shraddha Arya) returns from school with her friend, Jiah (Jiah Khan). Jiah is the fruit of a broken home, an outspoken, aggressive 18-year-old who finds Vijay charming. All hell breaks loose as the 60-year-old man and 18-year-old girl fall in love… The good thing about Nishabd is Jiah Khan. Her accent works for her, as she’s a foreign return in the film. She’s sexy, confident and with time she just might be the next Bipasha Basu or even a Priyanka Chopra. But other than Jiah, the entire film is half-baked.
To a certain extent, Amitabh Bachchan’s character is interesting. He is a photographer, whose pictures are like a painting. At a boring hill station with absolutely nothing to do, it is understandable that Jiah develops a crush. At 18, a crush feels like love. But why does she roam around the house in skimpy outfits with her legs being the prime focus of every other frame? If the director is trying to prove she’s sexy, it’s clear. There was no need to throw it in one’s face every few seconds. Furthermore, it’s unclear if Jiah is physically attracted to Vijay or not? Is it this reason that she shows off her skin throughout the film? Secondly, for such an intelligent man, one doesn’t understand Vijay at all. Is he lusting after Jiah? Is it because his wife is boring? If she’s a monotonous dull woman, did he not know it before? Old age is scary and a youngster makes one feel young. This is the philosophy behind the film. Then why is Vijay so indecisive? There are too many whys in this film. And why is the wife boring? It would’ve been far more interesting if she hadn’t been. It’s the classic cliche that one recently saw in that over-the-top Salaam-e-Ishq where Anil Kapoor is bored with his simply wife Juhi. Why are all the housewives so boring? Can anyone please go and see Desperate Housewives for inspiration? Then there is the classic background score that makes you think that what’s happening is wrong. When the initial relationship develops between the two, why is the Bhoot-meets-Satya music playing in the background? One gets the feeling that the director makes the film with the preconceived notion that it is wrong for an 18-year-old to fall for a 60-year-old man All this aside, it’s the ending that makes one feel irritated beyond belief. It’s predictable, pointless and sadly, abrupt. Amitabh acts well but he acts well in 99.9 per cent of his films. But to say that he has beaten his own acting in Black is an overstatement. The Kevin Spacey starrer American Beauty had a similar premise as Nishabd but it worked. And that’s because the characters were etched out superbly. One understood it. Joggers Park is another example. One awful film with a similar plot was Ek Choti Si Love Story. The biggest example in the modern Hindi cinema is Dil Chahta Hai, where Akshaye Khanna falls for Dimple Kapadia. It was romantic, understandable and added flavour to the film and that’s how it should be. Ram Gopal Varma, who seems to have serious issues with Karan Johar movies should learn something from the young director. Karan may be a corny director who loves to appear on tv and market himself but the fact is Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna had far more grit and substance than Nishabd ever could. That in itself is a testament that gloating and over-confidence will only take you so far. The only reason this film has caught this much attention is because Amitabh Bachchan is a part of it. But just because he’s a part of it, it doesn’t make it any good. Watch this film just to see Jiah. Otherwise, skip it. It’s a total waste of time. –Maheen Sabeeh *YUCK **WHATEVER ***GOOD ****SUPER *****AWESOME

Launch show

Best face forward
The first Pond’s Institute in South Asia has opened in Karachi. Instep gives you the low downBy Maheen Sabeeh

The opening of the first Pond’s Institute in Karachi (also a first in South Asia) had all the rights elements of style. Situated at one of Karachi’s favourite malls, this is a blessing in disguise for the beauty conscious classes that frequent it. A simple straight ramp was located inside the main lobby of The Forum, with two LCD screens located at the sides. Soon, a voiceover was set in motion with the importance of flawless skin being the essential subject. After a few minutes of upbeat techno music, began the real show. One by one, four models, each dressed in a white collared, long gown with a crimson robe, covering their face rode down the elevator and onto the stage. The costumes designed by Deepak Perwani had just the right impact. One saw Nausheen Shah walk on with a blonde wig, followed by Sabina with her hair tied up in a bun, Javeria and finally, the face of Pond’s Pakistan, Tanya Shafi.
The costumes designed by Deepak Perwani epitomized everything Pond’s stands for. What better way to project clear, flawless skin than a simple, well-cut, long sleek white gown? Hair and make-up done by Altaf (Nabila’s) gelled well with the theme of the show. The make-up was light, very subdued and the hair varied from model to model. This short catwalk was followed by a tour of the outlet. And it must be said that the outlet of Pond’s Institute has been designed very tastefully. Glass makes up for the most of the interior with white and red forming the colour palette. Their products range from face wash to scrubs of various types, night creams, lotions and a lot more. There is something for every woman and every girl. The institute also offers various kinds of facials for women, and the price range is also quite affordable. It starts from 800 rupees and goes up to 2300 rupees. Do check this outlet out. The Forum, it seems, is becoming a home to women’s luxury with Pond’s Institute joining the brandwagon that already comprises of La Senza and Body Shop. The show, conceptualized by Frieha Altaf was perfect. It was dramatic, effective and mercifully short, which is exactly how these events should be. We’re glad that the institute is here to stay. Get a facial on a whim while you shop – what could be better!

Casting a purple haze

Sajid Ghafoor and Zeeshan Parwez recently performed in Karachi and had the audience mesmerised.

By Maheen Sabeeh

There are some things in life one can never get enough of… fresh air, unpolluted water and live music to name a few. And when it comes to live music, it is imperative to realize that live music requires a mix of genres and styles. Perhaps it is this reason that Sajid Ghafoor and Zeeshan Parwez are a delight to watch live. Not only are they exceptional performers but the fact is their music is a cut above the rock/pop fiesta one witnesses in the city on a regular basis. Add that to the fact that Sajid and Zeeshan gigs are few and far in between. They aren’t featured in those ‘rock night’ type of shows where six bands are performing till wee hours of the morning. Hence, watching them live is an opportunity for music lovers who have a taste for turntables, acoustic guitar and keyboard nuances.

Last week, Sajid and Zeeshan performed at Purple Haze and impressed all attendees. For once, the concert started just a few minutes after the given time and as it was a weeknight, one was grateful. The most interesting thing about this concert was the crowd. This was a full-on boys show with a few girls here and there. In the small, compact basement that makes up the venue (Purple Haze), it was boys, teenagers and grown men sitting on the floor watching the Peshawari duo. Zeeshan Parwez with his keyboards in front of him and turntables on the side was juggling between the two instruments effortlessly. Sajid, with his acoustic guitar, was playing notes right out of the album. The amazing thing about Sajid and Zeeshan is they can replicate the entire album without a glitch. Barring Mekaal Hasan Band and Aaroh, there is no one in the industry who can do that with such precision. Coming back to that night, it was interesting to see S&Z do their thing. Whether it was the soft, slow ‘Close to You’ or the upbeat ‘Have to Let Go Sometime’, Sajid Ghafoor was having a ball with his instrument, the guitar. Zeeshan, meanwhile formed the background support with his keyboards and the beats that kept on coming throughout the night, thanks to his command at the turntables. After every track, people clapped and cheered on. As per concert norm, shouts were audible but they were in Pushto. Most people in the crowd didn’t know the album very well; they weren’t singing along, a few were chatting away but most guys and the given few chicks sat on nonetheless, appreciating the music being played for them. Few people had walked in late and as the gig came to its middle, many had left, most of whom were on their way to Shallum Xavier, Gumby, Omran Shafique and Manu gig (The House of Blues and Funk) taking place at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. The biggest crowd puller was easily the 2004 debut hit of the duo, King of Self’ that Sajid and Zeeshan performed to a perfect scale. The sound, beat, rhythm, vocals – it was all top notch. Zeeshan extended the track and kept on adding techno beats that compounded the effect even further. It was amusing to see one guy in the back trying to dance in a hip-hopish manner. While this track was playing, two guys stood up, one doing bhangra to ‘King of Self’ and the other, dressed in a white shalwar kameez and waistcoat was doing a Pushto dance. As soon as this track finished, a huge round of applause resonated from the crowd, perhaps the biggest one that night. There were shouts of once more but the guys had decided to call it a night. Even the lighting done for the show was very funky, it moved around in different shades and rotated from the crowd to the performers. Aaroh vocalist, Farooq Ahmed and bassist, Khalid Khan had come to see these guys as had VJs Faizan and Dino, Overload percussionist Hasan Mohyeddin among others. The only glitch in this otherwise, well-done gig was the vocals. Sajid Ghafoor sang with conviction and versatility. But at times, the sound of the music was overpowering his sound and it became difficult to understand what he was singing. Sajid and Zeeshan played back-to-back tracks with minimum stops in between, keeping the show tight and fun. In a nutshell, Sajid Ghafoor and Zeeshan Parwez may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they certainly are excellent live performers. With time, one can only hope that they do more live shows and that, too on a consistent scale.

The Holiday****

Romantic comedies are usually overrated. But every once in a while a film comes along that despite having some flaws wins you over. One such film is The Holiday that puts a smile on your face. The Holiday is about two women – Amanda (Cameron Diaz), a highly successful film trailer editor, living in a beautiful huge house in Los Angeles. And then there is the lovely Iris (Kate Winslet), a London newspaper reporter who is nursing a broken heart. Both women through a home exchange programme swap homes! Iris goes to Amanda’s crib in LA while Amanda comes to Iris’s small cottage in Surrey. And this swap happens over instant messaging. Thus begins the holiday…

The home swapping bit is illogical. How can two total strangers just give their homes up to each other without knowing anything about each other? That’s as bizarre as it gets. But like many brilliant comedy films, here, too one has to get past this irrationality in the plot and accept it. It is the only way to see this incredibly funny and genuine film. Once the ladies embark on their journeys, two men (obviously!) come in the story. Iris meets Miles (Jack Black), a music composer and Amanda meets Graham (Jude Law), Iris’s brother, a book editor. But it’s not all that simple. These women have issues, serious issues. And it’s these issues that make this flick a worthy watch. The guys also come with their toll of emotional baggage and its fun to watch them pine and whine. It all fits perfectly.

The Holiday has its quirky moments too. For instance, Amanda makes movie trailers so she hears her life in trailers, which might be irritating to her but when you’re watching the film, its just ridiculously funny. Iris’s ex-boyfriend is getting married but it doesn’t stop him from sending manuscripts to her while she’s on vacation. A classic case of a pushover, she always accepts.

Some of these plots are drawn from real life instances. Men can be distrustful and most often, it’s hard to make a relationship work. It’s just really, very hard. After a while, women and men become intuitive about how every new relationship formed will end or won’t. The Holiday says all this but the tone is light. It’s not drama but over-the-top reactions and emotions, which blend in so well.
The Holiday has moments that change quickly but most of those moments have a quality of humour that makes the entire

film a whole lot of fun. Writer/director Nancy Meyers may have her flaws but most of her rom-com flicks are actually quite good. Remember Something’s Gotta Give and What Women Want? That being said, the actors really do set the film on their own. Interestingly, Nancy makes them work hard for it. For instance, Amanda can’t cry. She tries and tries and tries but she can’t. Now imagine pulling that off without looking irritating. But Cameron does it over and over and beautifully at that. Jack Black is a great actor. School of Rock, Orange County and King Kong are some of his most unforgettable films. But the guy’s always hyper, even in films. He’s like the incorrigible kid in high school always upto something. So it’s wonderful to see a subdued Jack even though he has his wacky moments.Jude Law looks delicious as the book editor who enters the film when he’s drunk. He’s also a fine actor. This Oscar-nominated star proves to be an integral part of the film and you can’t imagine anyone else pulling off this role with such masculinity. The dude cries and still looks dashing!
And finally there is the five time Oscar nominee Kate Winslet, the actress whose choice of script puts her on top. The Life of David Gale, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Finding Neverland, the monumental Titanic among countless others, Kate, it seems can do no wrong. In The Holiday she shines throughout. Her expressions are bang on target, her crying scenes are exceptionally funny and insightful at the same.
Collectively, these actors make The Holiday more than a childish, mediocre flick. They bring dialogues to life and at the end of it all, one is left feeling warm and fuzzy.
Currently, The Holiday is playing at Cineplex and it was just too funny to hear a collective “awwww” at the end of the film. Our advice: if you want to see a light romantic comedy, this is the flick of choice. And if you can, catch the film at Cineplex. Films that play at cinemas and multiplexes shouldn’t be viewed at home. The ambience inside the dark room cannot be imitated inside one’s home. Highly recommended!

–Maheen Sabeeh

*YUCK
**WHATEVER
***GOOD
****SUPER
*****AWESOME