"Uniquely Portable Magic"

cover story

book /buk/

noun
1. a set of written, printed, or blank pages fastened along one side and encased between protective covers;

2. a printed or written literary work;

3. that thing people used to love to read before television and the Internet took over the world.

A long, long time ago - back in the days when rational thought and proper diction still prevailed - reading used to be the world's favourite pastime. But unknown to mankind, somewhere in the vast expanses of the globe, conspiratorial forces - envious of the attention being garnered by those printed words - were hard at work, determined to do away with any interest in all things readable. Sure enough, the bounded sheets of paper were soon replaced by rectangular boxes of varying sizes, boxes that were designed to emit insanely addictive radiation that would enslave anyone the moment they were exposed to it.

As time went by, mankind ended up addicted to technology and trapped behind a pile of work, with little or no time left for reading, and fascination with books slowly started dwindling. While interest in the activity was somewhat revived by books like The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series, bibliophilia still resides in the endangered list. Most of us might go through an occasional paperback, but the number of avid readers is on the decline.

Not just the mere following of words on a page, reading entails actually processing what you read. Whether it's a piece of fiction, a religious documentary or a historic account, you won't understand it by merely scanning the words, and there's no better way of understanding anything than by actually 'reading' about it. In addition, reading not only enhances your expression, but researchers also claim that it develops the 'ability for concentration and imagination, and enhances culture and civic involvement'.

So here's what we suggest you do: read!

Thou shall read

From classics to contemporary literature, the written world is vast enough to offer something that would cater to everyone's taste. Classic literature includes works by writers like Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Daniel Defoe, Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters. The vast folds of genre fiction encompass everything from science fiction, which holds books by the likes of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, to the horror fiction genre, popularised by the authors like Edgar Allan Poe and Bram Stoker. And even though a bestselling paperback might get nothing more than disapproval from critics writers like Stephen King, Jeffrey Archer, James Patterson, John Grisham, and (on rare occasions) even Dan Brown knows how to spin a gripping tale. Also, boasting of prolific names like Mirza Ghalib, Allama Iqbal, Saadat Hasan Manto, Shafiq Ur Rehman, and Naseem Hijazi, Urdu professes a treasure of literary gems.

And if fantasy isn't your cup of tea, then go for non-fiction. Read The Diary Of A Young Girl and see what a teenage girl had to go through while in hiding during the holocaust. Venture into the accounts of history, religion or the world of mythology. Or delve into a biography - the biography of a leader, an entrepreneur, a sporting legend, or even a rock star - and see what made that person great enough to have a book written about him.

Thou shall not judge a book by its movie

Hollywood has become so fascinated with cinematising everything from books and short stories to video games and comic book characters that they fail to see that not all adaptations make good movies. Not to say that all adaptations are bad; while some of the films can be really good, the book is almost always better.

Sure the James Bond movies are hugely successful, but, for many, the Ian Fleming books still hold a lot more charm than the movies. And while Isaac Asimov fans are left to recover from the shock of a mess that was 'I, Robot' (although, it wasn't strictly based on Asimov's work), many of us will be praying that our favourite books never go the big-screen way. Why? Because so much of an author's voice is lost in the book-to-film transition.

Many books have been turned into movies, stripping away the thought process for the audience, and enforcing boundaries to the imagination, whereas a book tries to do the exact opposite. So, sure, watch the movie, but don't forget to take a look at the work of the author who actually came up with the idea. Read how Robert Ludlum penned down the character of Jason Bourne, and what Alexander Dumas chose as the ending for The Man In The Iron Mask. And don't wait for them to transform His Dark Materials to film. Give the books a chance!

Thou shall allow yourself to experience the wonderful world of words

Whether it's the adventures of a silly old bear, the story of a girl chasing a rabbit into the world of endless imagination, an inspired-by-real-life account of football obsession, or a non-fiction cautionary tale of self-destruction, books can take you on a journey like no other medium can. Plus you can always count on a book to be there for you when you need it the most.

So whether you're reading a play by Shakespeare or the works of Ghalib, appreciate the power of language. Whether you read for fun or to write a book report for school, don't skim; peruse. And whether you're reading the works of the greats like D.H. Lawrence, P.G. Wodehouse and George Orwell, or modern fiction writers like Annie Proulx, Charles Frazier or Helen Fielding, allow the words to open the door to your imagination.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 26th May, 2006

Roxen - shining through

interview

Roxen stepped into the spotlight with the release of the videos of their songs 'Yaadein' and 'Sapnay'. The band's debut album is now ready for release and is scheduled to be out this summer. We caught up with the band's vocalist Mustafa Zahid to ask him about the band's music and their forthcoming album.

Current lineup:
* Mustafa Zahid a.k.a. Musti - Vocals, Lyrics and Compositions
* Jawad Muhammad a.k.a. Jodi - Guitars
* Haider Haleem - Guitars and Compositions
* Omar Haleem - Bass

Website: http://www.rox3n.com/

Us: How and when was Roxen formed?
Mustafa Zahid: Roxen was formed in 2004. I used to perform as a solo artist on different gigs and events. I met up with Jodi at a concert and we synchronized together as artists. Then I asked my friend Haider to join the band but since he was occupied with some other projects, he offered his elder brother Omar to be a part of the band. Omar joined the band as a bassist and now Haider himself is a band member too and is on guitars.

Us: Why is the band called Roxen? And who came up with the name?
MZ: Roxen, actually pronounced as Rozen, is derived from the Urdu word Rozen-e-deewar. It refers to the light penetrating into a prisoner's cell. The reason why the band came up with the name Rozen is because the name itself symbolizes hope and freshness and this is what the band's music is all about - liberation and emancipation. The name was decided by my friend Kashan and me.

Us: How would you describe the music that you guys make?
MZ: Frankly speaking, our objective is not to aim at one genre only. The word music and the totality in its range are varied. And this is what our band is determined to achieve. We want to reach out to people with our music on a day-to-day basis. If you see our compositions, they are related to what people go through in life. Music ought to be diverse, and that is what the listeners will get to hear from Roxen.

Us: Some people think that many of the new bands have a very similar sound and aren't offering anything new to the listeners. Any comments?
MZ: We believe that music goes through a timeline, an era. For example, the 70s had a different trend in music in each genre. Similarly, this age features a trend which everybody seems to follow, and especially when you're beginning and taking a start, you like to experiment less, and then, in later stages, you tend to explore your diversities. But it doesn't mean that new bands don't have anything to offer. We think a couple of albums from the new bands will make it clear where everyone is heading.

Us: Tell Us about your upcoming album.
MZ: The album is all set to reach the masses and will hit the market in May, InshAllah. It has been recorded at Xth Harmonic (Xulfi's place). It'll be a blend - with a tint of pop and some shades of rock music as well, and when we say rock, then it's the harder side of rock.

Us: So far, you've released the videos for 'Yaadein' and 'Sapnay'. How was the experience of working on those videos?
MZ: It was great. We learned so many things, and the kind of professionalism both directors showed along with all that friendship was amazing. Can't thank Xulfi and Ahmed enough for making such nice videos for Roxen.

Us: Which video will be released next? Anything you can tell us about it?
MZ: We have another video in the pipeline which is 'Tau Phir Aao". It will be out very shortly with our album, so all our fans out there watch out for that.

Us: How important is the music video medium for any band?
MZ: The music video for any band is the most significant medium. Apart from music, video portrays the vision of the band and their ingenuity towards their intention - to produce good music. For instance, webzines are the best medium for a band when it's underground; likewise, video is the only way to gain the attention of the masses whilst coming to the mainstream.

Us: How hard is it for the new bands to establish themselves in the industry?
MZ: A lot of new and very talented bands are emerging and are trying to etch their way into the mainstream. The stakes are high and everyone is competing to reach the number one position. The only possible way to establish ourselves as a band in the industry is to get out there, be true to ourselves and the music we create, and lastly leave it up to God Almighty.

Us: Were there any difficulties you guys had to face as an upcoming band?
MZ: It has been a great journey so far. Mashallah, we have achieved a lot of things since last year or so when we started. We won't say it was a smooth ride because you have to work hard to achieve something and yeah, there was a lot of leg pulling and useless propaganda against us, but see, here we are, all set to rock the market with our album soon, Inshallah.

Us: You guys are based in Lahore. Do you think location influences or hampers a band's success in any way?
MZ: Success comes from hard work, that's for sure, and that's what we have learnt, too. We would definitely say that yes, Lahore based bands have to suffer because all of the media is located in Karachi, but then again EP is from Lahore, Noori is from Lahore, Jal is from Lahore and now Call is from Lahore too. It's totally up to what you offer to the general public. If it's worth listening to, then even if you are jamming in Afghanistan, people will come and listen to you.

Us: Do you feel that people treat you guys differently now that you're members of a well-known band?
MZ: Funny question actually, we think we've just started the journey and we have a long way to go, Inshallah. Yes, sometimes we receive surprising reactions from people who listen to our music and it makes us feel really good and makes us work even harder to satisfy them with our album.

Us: What kind of music do you all listen to? Does it influence the music that you make?
MZ: We listen to all kinds of music. The music field is vast, even the sounds of fingers tapping can be music to the ears. As far as the international acts go, we listen to Bryan Adams, Vertical Horizon, Joe Satriani, Iron Maiden, Dave Mathews Band, Lifehouse...you name it. Locally, we're into Junoon, Fuzon, Hamid Ali Khan, Karavan and Call mostly. Yes, the music we listen to tends to influence the music we make, because they inspire us to create good music - music that can be heard by anyone and everyone.

Us: What can we expect from Roxen in the next few months?
MZ: Our debut album will be out soon. We have been working hard and have put in all out efforts to create some good pieces of music for the listeners as they will be the ones deciding our fate and will mark our niche in the market as entertainers, so watch out for our album and expect something fresh!

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 19th May, 2006

She's The Man

movie review

'She's The Man' is a teen comedy inspired by William Shakespeare's play 'Twelfth Night, or What You Will', revolving around Viola (Amanda Bynes) who is a tomboy obsessed with soccer. To Viola's disappointment, her school, Cornwall Academy, cuts the girls' soccer team, and the coach of the boys' team refuses to allow her to try out for his team, stating that girls can't play soccer as well as boys can. When her twin brother Sebastian (James Kirk) decides to skip his first two weeks of school at Illyria Academy to perform with his band in London, Viola disguises herself as him and goes to his boarding school, hoping to join the Illyria boys' soccer team and eventually playing against her own school.

In the process, she makes friends with her roommate Duke (Channing Tatum), the captain of the Illyria team, and this is followed by the mess which is concisely summarized in the movie's tagline: "Duke wants Olivia who likes Sebastian who is really Viola whose brother is dating Monique so she hates Olivia who's with Duke to make Sebastian jealous who is really Viola who's crushing on Duke who thinks she's a guy."

So, who will end up with whom? And will Viola's disguise hold? Will she be able to make the team? What will happen in the Cornwall-Illyria fixture? The results don't come as much of a surprise as the storyline is highly predictable (and, at times, ridiculously unbelievable), but the movie is still pretty enjoyable. Amanda Bynes is likable in her role as Viola/Sebastian, and the rest of the cast supports her quite well while bounded by the somewhat hackneyed plot. It might not be as good as '10 Things I Hate About You' (with which it shares quite a few characteristics), but as far as teen movies go, 'She's The Man' isn't half bad.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 12th May, 2006

Sing, sing, sing!

cover story

It was artists like Nazia and Zoheb Hassan, and bands like the Vital Signs, Awaz, and Junoon that gave the Pakistani music industry the much-needed boost that time warranted. And eventually, the mainstream success of bands like Noori and Call has given our music scene a whole new outlook, and inspired many acts to follow in their footsteps and try to make their mark in the world of music.

What?
For decades, it was classical, folk and filmi music that ruled our local music landscape. But even though the seeds of pop music had been planted by the mid-'80s, it wasn't until much later that we saw the pop music industry take proper shape. It was quite a while before Pakistan's first music channel was launched, and bands and musicians including the Strings, Jal, Ali Zafar, and Atif Aslam not only conquered the local canvas, but also earned global recognition for Pakistani pop music. Riding on this wave, many new artists have emerged, some offer a good and refreshing sound, while others offer nothing more than auditory torture. In any case, the Pakistani music industry is expanding at a rate faster than ever before. Our airwaves regularly introduce us to new voices and faces, showing us both the good and the not-so-good results of this development. People are trying to take up music for a myriad of reasons, and are receiving varying degrees of success.

When?
It's hard to identify the exact point that led to this surge, but one can roughly accord it to the advent of music channels in Pakistan. These channels not only served to showcase the already established musicians in the country, but also played a pivotal role in encouraging new talent to come forward, as well as alluring artists that had been resident in the underground for years to join the mainstream.
Perhaps there was a different stimulus that inspired each of these newcomers, but a common precursor that has been identified by musicians, producers and directors alike came in the form of the hype that was surrounding some of the other new talent. Take 'Aadat' as an example. 'Aadat' and the resultant success of Jal and Atif Aslam, led many to believe that it's very easy to gain fame in the music industry, and one can hardly blame them. There has perhaps never been a more powerful debut in our industry. The song and its video not only managed to establish the artists and the director of the video in the process, but also served as motivation for others. "For me it started when I saw the video of 'Chaye Chaye' by the Strings," explains Umar Anwar, the director of 'Aadat'. "That was the day when I was like, 'if Jami can do something so good, then why can't I?' For that, I had to start somewhere, so I tried. One should take risks in life in order to gauge his/her potential, and then leave everything to Allah."

Who?
Kaavish, A.W.S., Roxen, Visaal, Irtaash, Zoak, Needlework, and so many others! "It is amazing to see many new artists finding their way into our music scene everyday," says Iftikhar Habib, the vocalist of Rung. But have the new artists got anything new to offer? "Some of them, in my view, are highly talented while a considerable number, I feel, are not very original, and sound similar to each other. One also feels that at times there is more emphasis on presentation through videos rather than the presentation of quality musical skills. As an aspiring young musician, I just feel that while being optimistic, we also need to be modest and remain committed to the improvement of our musical skills as musicians. Another unfortunate aspect is an unhealthy sense of negative competition amongst artists from all genres of our country. This leaves a poor tradition for upcoming talent. I just think we all need to work on our musical skills as growing musicians because we are all learning. We also need to be more original and try to bring out our own unique sound."

Where?
'Where', you ask? Well, everywhere would be a good approximation. They're on the radio, they're on the tube, most of them have their own websites, and you can even catch them performing live at various venues.
So which medium helps them out the most? The opinion on that varies:
- Some think it's television: "TV, radio, internet and live performance are all important for an upcoming band," says Hassan, the lead vocalist of Xeal, "but the most important of all is video, because TV is the most important medium. Everybody has a television at their homes. In comparison, a very small number of people listen to the radio, so it doesn't have that much importance. Live performance is a good medium too, but it works when you are already on TV and people know who you are. Internet is also important, but the drawback is that the people who don't know about the related websites can't listen to the band, so TV or video is the key medium in my opinion."
- Some lean towards the world wide web: According to Bilawal, "Well, as a new band every aspect of publicity counts, but in my opinion, first of all, the Internet is the basic medium through which a band or artist is recognized because nowadays every new band or solo artist gives their song on Internet to create a hype before the album is released or video is launched, just like Jal. They uploaded their debut song 'Aadat' and later on that song took the country by storm. People from all over the world downloaded that song and liked it very much. So, the same goes for any new band or artist because if people like their song, then it's good for that band. Otherwise they don't bother listening to that song again or buying the band's CD."
- And some think it all comes down to how one uses these mediums: "For us, we consider that all medium are of equal importance," says Nausher Javed from Inteha. "It's just that they should be used intelligently and only when they are required. Like, we launched our debut song 'Daastaan' first on the Internet, then on the FM radio channels, and when we felt that some demand has been created by these two mediums, we launched 'Daastaan''s video on different channels. Live performances are the backbone for these mediums."

Why?
Just why has half our population decided to become musicians? Many reason: talent (of which there is no dearth in our country, and which should be - but generally isn't - the main reason), fame (the most desired derivative of releasing a song), money (the root of all evil, sigh!), trend (and here's where we say hello to our good old friend 'wannabeism'), media (the resultant exposure, and the evolution of the video medium), and freedom of expression (which is, now, a lot more than the last decade).
And then, of course, there's the overconfidence: they all think they can do it. Yes, some of these bands really do know what they're doing, but then there are those whose musical outputs are just as pleasant as the sound of nails on a chalkboard. One can only hope that the former manage to outweigh the latter.

So...
They come with varying levels of skills and potential, but are all trying to make their presence felt in the music scene. And whereas some believe that these new bands will be better and more mature, as they will keep all the previous bands and their mistakes in mind and learn from them, others aren't so optimistic. The general opinion comes down to the fact that 'without basic training, some of them can't perform or play or even sing well'. So if you feel like buying a guitar and jumping onto the musicians bandwagon, here's why you shouldn't quit your day job just yet: music isn't everyone's forte, and it's not as easy as it looks! "This ain't a game or something," warns Xulfi, "It's a serious business. You never step into a business until you know its ins and outs. But, the job of the music producer has become quite weird. Me being one, I think I do more than I should be doing for a band. Even helping the band with melodies and ideas about structures more than I should help," observes Xulfi and adds: "They should know how to play in the studio."
And will these bands be successful? That's one question that only time can answer.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 21st April, 2006

Rising stars

interview

Band: Kaavish
Band members:
- Jaffer Ali - Lead vocals, keyboards, arrangement, composition, lyrics
- Maaz Maudood - Vocals, lyrics
- Raheel Manzar - Drums
Official website: www.kaavish.com

Us: How did you guys come together as a band?
Maaz: Jaffer and I had been in the same school since the first grade, but we got to know each other in the ninth grade. Both of us have been working together since then. Over a span of eight years, quite a few people came in and out of the band. But now, finally, it's down to the three of us: Jaffer, Raheel and myself.

Us: Tell Us about your song 'Bachpan'.
Jaffer: 'Bachpan', I guess the name says it all. The song is about innocence of childhood and the memories of the good moments we've spent in our lives. We made this song almost three years back and initially the name of the song was 'Khwabon Mai Tu'. I remember we were having our exams those days and the paper went really bad. Both of us were sitting in the car, the traffic signal light was red and there was this kid right in front of us, sitting on a motorcycle, munching on some chips. He was so lost in his own world, so happy and content just by having a bag of chips. That actually led us to the creation of this song.

Us: But then why such a depressive approach to the song's video?
Maaz: We just wanted to do something different, something other than the same old guy-girl story that has been told over and over again in every single video. The credit for the video goes to Umar Anwar, as it was his 'dark' idea. Hehe!

Us: How was the experience of making the video?
Maaz: Two days shoot, 36 hours straight - hectic! But the experience was beyond words! It was great working with Umar Anwar, and since it was our debut video, we were filled with excitement. Or at least I was; Jaffer fell sick the night before the shoot and he really wished the shoot could've been done some other day.

Us: Anything you can tell Us about the video of 'Choti Khushiyan'? How soon will it be aired?
Jaffer: The video has been directed by Umar Amanullah. It's going to be the total opposite of our first video. It's filled with colours, happiness and all the beautiful things in life that can bring a smile to your face. The cast of the video consists of well-known faces from the screen. The video will be released within a week's time, Inshallah.

Us: When will your album be released?
Maaz: We are currently working on our album and Inshallah we plan to launch it in summer 2006. Keep logging in to our official website for updates.

Us: Do you work on the lyrics and the compositions of the songs yourself?
Jaffer: All of us sit together and work on our music together; it's a team effort. The main sequencing and arrangement is done by me.

Us: Is it difficult for new bands to establish themselves in the industry? Is the media helping?
Jaffer: Not anymore, it's not. Since the advent of all the new TV channels and radio stations, it has become really easy for new bands to get heard. The media industry has taken a 180-degree turn, which is a good thing!

Us: Do you guys see Kaavish doing well outside Pakistan, and would you like to release your songs internationally?
Maaz: We really don't know much about what's happening on the other sides of our border, but my cousins who live abroad keep telling me about how all their desi friends listen to our tracks. It's good to hear that our music is being appreciated outside the country as well. We wouldn't mind releasing our songs internationally; it would be an honour to do so.

Us: Jaffer, your mother, Nayyara Noor, is a very famous singer. Did she make you want to go into music? Has her work influenced the music that you're making?
Jaffer: No. She never forced me into doing anything. It was my own passion that drove me towards music. My mom's work has influenced it in a way that it is from there my music actually originates.

Us: Have you guys had any formal music training? How much importance do you think such training holds?
Maaz: No, but Inshallah right after the completion of my MBA, I'll take some formal music training because if you've taken up this field, you should know it inside out.
Jaffer: It's just been a year since I've joined NAPA. It holds a lot of importance because it enables you to converse your ideas musically, globally.

Us: What kind of music do you guys listen to? Any favourite artists/bands?
Jaffer: I listen to all sorts of music.
Maaz: I can listen to anything except trance! Cannot stand trance! These days I'm hooked onto James Blunt - what an artist!

Us: What do you think about the current music scene in Pakistan? And where do you see it a couple of years down the line?
Jaffer: The music scene in Pakistan is good and in the upcoming years I hope to see it in better grounds.

Us: What can we expect from Kaavish in the next few months?
Maaz: To start off with, our second video will be aired soon on music channels around you, so keep watching! We'll be launching four cover tracks on our website pretty soon. We plan to have a couple of performances in the following months. And Inshallah by the summers, our album will hit the market.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 31st March, 2006

Make Believe

album review

Album: Make Believe
Band: Weezer

Even though they appeared on the music map at a time when the grunge movement was in full swing, Weezer found home in a different section of alternative rock. The band’s take on indie emo in their self-titled debut album, commonly referred to as The Blue Album didn’t go unnoticed, primarily because of the single Buddy Holly and its accompanying video.

Although their sophomore album was named the “second worst of 1996” by Rolling Stone magazine, Pinkerton has now become a standard of sorts, not only for the newer bands which are trying to embrace that sound, but more so for Weezer itself. All of Weezer’s albums since 1996 have been continuously compared to their second set and under that light, have ended up bearing the “not good enough” tag. Make Believe, their fifth studio album, is suffering the same response as all other post-Pinkerton Weezer releases.

Make Believe is an enjoyable record, pleasantly different from the more serious rock albums that can be found on the modern rock charts. It is lined with some infectious melodies, sealed off with Rivers Cuomo’s (often sardonic) take on fame, life and drugs, and his ongoing quest to find peace — something that seems to be just as elusive to him as his Harvard degree.

The album opener and first single, Beverly Hills, sees Cuomo walking down the (by now familiar) path of self-depreciation, the very thing that has endeared Weezer to their fans and, at the same time, made them so infuriatingly unbearable for their detractors. The single, which reminds one of The Good Life days, was an instant commercial success and deny it as we may, the song is insanely addictive. Song two, Perfect Situation, is one of the stand-out tracks on the album, offering that classic Weezer feel, that too in perfect rhyme. Next on the disc is This Is Such A Pity, followed by the rather melancholy Hold Me and the introspective musings of Peace.

We Are All On Drugs, or We Are All In Love — as MTV would want us to believe — is supposedly an anti-drug song, completely ruined by the lyric change, no thanks to the American censorship policies. But this is where the album starts to derail. Halfway through the disk, the monotony starts to set in: everything from The Damage In Your Heart to Haunt You Every Day offers little surprise. While not necessarily of the bad variety, the songs that follow are somewhat predictable, and it’s probably this monotony that has resulted in listeners filling in the complaint forms. Plus, at times, it becomes a little too saccharine to swallow. Case in point: My Best Friend, the track that is said to have been written for the Shrek 2 soundtrack but was later replaced by The Counting Crows Accidentally In Love (and thank heavens for that!).

On the whole, Make Believe offers some good moments and some not-so-good ones, and although the disc might not be the best album that came out in 2005, it certainly isn’t the worst either. If fans can only stop comparing everything to Pinkerton for, like, a microsecond, they’ll see that Make Believe isn’t such a bad record after all. As for those of you who can’t stand Weezer’s previous releases, stay as far away from this album as possible!

- By Sameen Amer

Images, Dawn - 19th March, 2006

Conquering the world - Atif Aslam

interview

After the massive success of his debut album Jal Pari, and after his music was included in the soundtracks of Bollywood movies, Atif Aslam's songs have now been featured in the international production 'Man Push Cart', the film that was recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and also won the 'FIPRESCI Critics Award'. We caught up with Atif to ask him about his latest ventures...

Us: How does it feel to hear your songs in Indian movies and be recognized on the other side of the border?
Atif Aslam: Alhumd-o-lillah, it feels great. People call me from across the border and say that when they are sad my music relaxes them and helps wipe off their tears, and it's a blessing if you can make people happy and make them forget their sorrows. Secondly, it makes me feel that I have done something for my nation; beside your own recognition, people also recognize your country, and this has proved that our pop industry has the potential to create waves in Bollywood. I also feel that music has no boundaries and the more music markets you explore the more you learn, so it was a wonderful experience. According to their local channel Zoom, my song Woh Lamhay, is among the 'ten most evergreen songs of Indian film industry', which is an honour for me. The remix version is being played all over the world in all the clubs, discos, and theatres, which makes me feel very satisfied.

Us: How did the 'Man Push Cart' project come about?
Atif: We were approached by Ramin Behrani, the director of the movie 'Man Push Cart', from Hollywood. He got hold of my album through the hero of the film, and listened and understood my songs. The movie is basically the story of a singer, so I thought we must go for it. The story basically revolves around a Pakistani guy trying to settle in USA, who gives a positive turn to his life by exploring his talent of singing and that's where my songs come into the movie. The film got a tremendous response at the Venice film festival and was greatly appreciated by the president of the festival. Almost all the Hollywood celebrities attended the film festival which gave an extended exposure to my voice, and of course it's a matter of great pride for our nation as well that after Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and the Strings, God gave me this opportunity to show my talents there.

Us: New album: progress? When will it be released?
Atif: I'm working on it ... don't have a precise release date yet.

Us: Your videos have received a lot of criticism. Is there anything you want to say in response to that?
Atif: Well, I admit that the quality of my videos was not that good. Some people were stealing my songs, so I had to make the videos in a rush in order to save and register my other songs. But Insha Allah you will see some good videos now.

Us: Any particular directors you'd like to work with?
Atif: I think everyone is doing a great job. I don't have any priorities; anyone who can handle the subject of the song artistically would be a good choice for me.

Us: Looking at the music industry right now, where do you think it stands?
Atif: I think everyone is doing great right now. Our industry is just flourishing. It will take another five years or so for it to have a proper professional shape. Channels are helping newcomers in establishing their careers. But I would like to say to the newcomers that don't come in the industry just for fame and other benefits; try to satisfy your inner passion for music if you really have it.

Us: Are you interested in acting? Any chance we'll see you in a film or TV drama/play anytime soon?
Atif: Right now I'm concentrating only on singing. No ideas about acting yet, but I guess if I receive a good role, I may try it.

Us: Rumour has it that you've sold the rights of some of your songs. Is there any truth behind this whatsoever?
Atif: Rumours are rumours. Just don't trust them. My songs are mine.

Us: You've won the award for 'Best Upcoming Singer' at the Sahara Sangeet Awards, and the Indus Music Awards for 'Best Song', 'Best Composition', and 'Best Lyrics'. How much importance do awards and award shows hold for you?
Atif: It feels great to have won these awards. But I guess the biggest award and reward is your personal satisfaction and the love of the people you get in response to your music. Awards are a great tool to encourage artists, but I guess awards should have some merits and authenticity to some level through some experienced and honest judges.

Us: Any message for your fans?
Atif: Love you all! Keep praying and continue supporting me like this. We have to go a long way together. Your prayers have led me to this height and place. And I would like to express my profound wishes to my parents, brothers, friends, and fans.

Us: And our readers have chosen you as their favourite artist of 2005 in a poll that we conducted a few weeks ago...
Atif: Thanks a lot! Thank you all for your consistent support. Young people are the most energetic in their response in any concert at any performance. I love performing for the kids - they scream a lot, and that's the real enjoyment of a concert. Most of my audience is related to the age group that read this magazine. Just follow your passion till you master it!

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 24th February, 2006