Goodbye Breaking Bad

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Chemistry, cancer, meth and the very real making of a criminal mind, Breaking Bad is pure collectible genius … get all the seasons and lose yourself

Breaking Bad *****

Starring: Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte, Bob Odenkirk, Giancarlo Esposito, Jonathan Banks, Laura Fraser, Jesse Plemons

Created by: Vince Gilligan

In the very first episode of Breaking Bad, just a few minutes into the proceedings, high-school teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) tries to explain what chemistry is to his students.

“Chemistry is, well technically chemistry is the study of matter,” he says, “but I prefer to see it as the study of change. Now just think about this. Electrons, they change their energy levels. Molecules change their bonds. Elements, they combine and change into compounds. Well that's ... that's all of life, right? It's just … it's the constant, it's the cycle. It's solution, dissolution, just over and over and over. It is growth, then decay, then transformation. It is fascinating, really.” 

And before you know it, the entire thesis of the show has been presented, masterfully delivered in a couple of lines that seem so revelatory in hindsight. 

Over the course of five seasons, we have seen this change, solution, dissolution, growth, decay, and transformation. And it has been fascinating. Now, 62 episodes later, we must say goodbye.

Little did we know when the show premiered in January 2008 what a phenomenon it would turn out to be. Anti-hero Walter White's transformation from a downtrodden everyman who goes from being a cancer stricken chemistry teacher into brutal drug kingpin Heisenberg has been nothing short of riveting. And as his actions have taken a toll on those around him (including the family he claims to be doing everything for), the series has often left us wondering whether we should root for him or despise him, or perhaps do a bit of both at the same time. 

And this dichotomy and ambivalence is just one of the many things that have made Breaking Bad so phenomenal. A series that has functioned as both a crime drama and psychological thriller with occasional dabs of black comedy while being a “contemporary western” at its heart, Vince Gilligan's small screen masterpiece has relentlessly hit us with twists and turns, often caught us off guard, and never failed to leave us emotionally giddy. 

Its layered characters, played to perfection by a superb cast led by the absolutely terrific Bryan Cranston (and I don't care what the Emmys think; in what upside-down world Jeff Daniel's performance was better than Bryan Cranston's, I'll never know!), have helped to bring fascinatingly complex relationships to life. Where else can you find something like the brilliant dynamic that we saw between Walt and his student turned partner in crime Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul, yo!) from the first scene to the last? (And now that the show is done, maybe certain people can stop hating Anna Gunn for portraying Walt's wife Skyler White so convincingly that for some deranged viewers the hatred irrationally transferred from the character to the actor portraying her.) 

This is what you get when powerful writing (kudos to the writers for a consistently enthralling experience for five seasons), spot-on editing, outstanding direction, perfect choice of settings and locations, and meticulous attention to detail come together. And the perfect placement of music doesn't hurt either. Will Breaking Bad fans ever be able to listen to Mick Harvey's 'Out of Time Man', Marty Robbins' 'El Paso', and Badfinger's 'Baby Blue' without thinking about this series? Highly unlikely. 

Even though it's hard to lose a show like this, we're actually lucky that Vince Gilligan has made sure the series goes out on top instead of dragging it through a slog of unnecessary seasons (I'm looking at you, Dexter!) before coming to an end with a thud (now I'm glaring at you, Dexter!). After the breakneck speed of 'Ozymandias' and the suspenseful buildup of 'Granite State', the AMC series has bowed out with 'Felina' this Sunday (September 29th), tying up all the lose ends in an intense, calculated finale. It wasn't the most flashy or shocking of endings, but it was very exhilarating and thoroughly satisfying. 

But now we're stuck with the big question: with Breaking Bad concluded (and yes, even Dexter gone), what on Earth are we going to obsesses over next summer? As actor Simon Pegg tweeted, “What's going to fill the void after Breaking Bad?! If I'm looking for something as addictive, it's probably going to have to be meth.” Maybe we should hold off the meth for the moment and wait to see what unfolds next. Yes, the fate of our favourite anti-hero has been revealed, but series mastermind Vince Gilligan is now spearheading the spin-off prequel Better Call Saul that focuses on Saul Goodman (the delightful Bob Odenkirk), the shady lawyer who knows a guy who knows a guy who can get things done for you, before he met Walt. 

Till Saul goes on air, this seems like the perfect time for a marathon rerun of Breaking Bad, or for those who haven't seen it, a chance to binge watch the show for the first time in its entirety; the complete series box set (with lots of special features) comes out this November. This series definitely is not for the faint of heart; violence and drugs feature throughout its run. But if you are into dark and twisted tales, then you're likely to find Heisenberg's world very intriguing. 

As of now though, we must say goodbye to a series that reveled in change and changed us in the process. Thank you Bryan Cranston for bringing Walter White to life. Thank you Walter White for showing us how fascinating chemistry can be. And thank you Vince Gilligan for giving us one of the best television series perhaps of all time

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 6th October, 2013

Elysium

movie review

Elysium ***

Starring: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura, William Fichtner

Written and directed by: Neill Blomkamp
Tagline: He can save us all

Whether they have been through books or films or television shows, all of my recent encounters with dystopian science fiction have led me to the same conclusion: dystopia is getting exasperatingly overcrowded. It's a setting that can potentially offer thoroughly intriguing tales, but is being used so frequently, callously, and lazily that its mechanics are becoming predictable and losing their charm.

But when it was announced that District 9's Neill Blomkamp was working on a dystopic science fiction action thriller, it was easy to be optimistic. Add Matt Damon and Jodie Foster to the mix, and you know the project definitely has potential. But was this potential capitalized on or squandered?

It's the year 2154, and the world has fallen into disarray. The poor live on a devastated Earth that is policed by robots, while the rich have moved to a space station called Elysium where they live in luxury and comfort. Amidst this divide, we meet Max (Matt Damon), an assembly line worker at Armadyne Corp., stuck in the hostile conditions that plague the planet. But things are just about to get even worse for him. A work accident exposes him to lethal levels of radiation, giving him only five days to live. Thus begins his quest to get to Elysium, so that he can use a medical device known as the med-bay to save his life.

That, however, is easier said than done, as Elysium's Secretary of Defence Delacourt (Jodie Foster) makes sure that all attempts by illegal immigrants from Earth to reach the space habitat are thwarted, no matter what the cost. When President Patel (Faran Tahir) reprimands her for shooting down shuttles carrying asylum seekers, Jessica hatches a plot to usurp power with the help of Armadyne's CEO John Carlyle (William Fichtner).

Max and Delacourt's plans collide, as the action starts to kick in and the film picks up its pace. How events unfold, however, is fairly conventional and often predictable. Blomkamp does a good job bringing both the worlds to life on the screen, and the film is visually impressive. But he fails to come up with a different take on this setup. The South African-Canadian filmmaker's 2009 sci-fi thriller District 9 was different, unconventional, and ambitious - and that's everything Elysium is not. The film breaks no new ground and doesn't do anything exceptionally fascinating. And in light of the inevitable comparisons to his far superior directorial debut, it is a letdown.

Among the things that underwhelm is the filmmakers' decision to use generic characters that lack complexity. Shades of gray make characters compelling, and they are often either negligible or completely missing here. A cursory attempt is made, for instance, to suggest that Jodie Foster's character thinks she is doing the right thing, but we are never left in any doubt that this is not the case. The bad guy is just that, a bad guy, and isn't given enough depth to make him more intriguing. Yes Sharlto Copley makes a menacing mercenary, but his character is too one-dimensional. There is only so much the cast can do with the material they're given after all. Matt Damon is on autopilot as the everyman action hero. Jodie Foster has played more interesting roles and given better performances throughout her career. Faran Tahir doesn't have enough screen time and his character is never fully explored. And Alice Braga's Frey doesn't hold nearly as much emotional resonance as she should; as Max's childhood friend and the mother of a young girl who has leukaemia, Frey's emotional connections aren't nearly as investing as they could have been. Plus the film doesn't explore the space habitat as much as it should have; it might have been interesting to spend more time on Elysium itself and get to know some of its average citizens instead of just its main political occupants.

That said, Elysium is certainly not a mess. The film is very watchable, and even enjoyable if you're in the mood for a relatively straightforward action blockbuster. The writing, directing, action, storyline - it's all serviceable, but there's nothing special or memorable about it. This isn't particularly smart or clever science fiction, even though it probably wants to be, and the socio-political commentary it doles out (by raising the issues of immigration, health care, economic divide, and social equality) is too heavy-handed to be palatable. But Elysium does have its merits: the world it transports you to is interesting (albeit not in any way original), there are some impressive action sequences in the movie, and the cinematography is effective. And if you're not too demanding, the film can certainly be entertaining.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 29th September, 2013

Dull debut: Stars Dance fails to shine

album review
  
Selena Gomez's first solo album comes off as a lazy effort by a singer who seems lost without her backing band. An unexciting set of songs, the album offers listening pleasure only to the most philistine of tastes

Artist: Selena Gomez
Album: Stars Dance

Prior to the release of her new album, Selena Gomez announced that after issuing Stars Dance she'd be taking a musical hiatus to focus on her acting career. After listening to the album, it's hard to argue with her decision. If this is the best she can do as a recording artist, then stepping away from music just might be the smart move for her at the moment.

Part of her controlled transformation from Disney starlet to a young adult, Stars Dance serves as her debut set as a solo artist, since her previous three efforts were also credited to her backing band, the Scene. But despite being a tad more edgy than her work with the Scene, the record comes off as a thoroughly tepid affair that is just as characterless as it is impersonal. A set of 11 songs, none of which were penned by the singer, the record ebbs under a wave of typical electropop that feels commonplace and unnecessary.

At no point during the record do we get a real sense of who Selena Gomez really is, nor do we get a glimpse of her personality or individuality. These songs could have been recorded by anyone from Britney to Rihanna (in fact RiRi did reject one of the tracks, the “na na na” laden 'Come and Get It') to similar effect, and we would have hardly noticed the difference. The basic template remains the same: autotuned vocals set to EDM and dubstep influenced tunes. To be fair, the album does try to be very current, and makes an attempt to cover as much contemporary pop ground as it can. But the touches of various assorted elements - such as the tabla on lead single 'Come and Get It' and the dancehall of the awkward 'Like a Champion' - just seem latched on to create the illusion of diversity.

And while electropop does seem like the best bet for the singer, who did make the sound work somewhat with the Scene, but the lack of meaningfulness and intimacy work in the album's detriment. Sure fans will enjoy the dance pop of ditties like 'Forget Forever', 'Save the Day', and 'B.E.A.T.' (even if the latter is suspiciously similar to Dev's 'Bass Down Low'), and will happily go along with the singer's efforts to emulate the fun vibe. And listeners who enjoy this kind of music aren't likely to mind if the songs are overproduced and the vocals are autotuned or buried under layers of synths. But anyone who isn't already enchanted by this pop princess will find her latest musical effort generic, sterile, and lazy.

The album does not make an effort to define Selena Gomez as either a person or an artist. Even by the standards of manufactured music, the set fails to display any individuality or innovativeness. It relies too heavily on external personnel, and seems to have required minimal effort on the part of the singer herself. Sure there are fun pop pleasers here that have delighted Selena's fans enough to propel Stars Dance to the top of the charts. But anyone looking for something more than superficial pop sheen is very likely to be disappointed by this record.

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 29th September, 2013

Setting up a quest

book review

Book: Ready Player One
Author: Ernest Cline

Dystopian future is a setting so overcrowded with science fiction dramas that it’s becoming hard to come up with ways of revisiting dystopia that are truly unique and interesting. Which is why the idea behind Ernest Cline’s debut novel Ready Player One seems intriguing. Geeky, offbeat, and more than a little quirky, Ready Player One takes us into a universe where people have embraced a virtual world to escape the harsh reality of their actual surroundings.

Ok, so virtual reality is hardly a new concept, but an adventure in a virtual setting still seems exciting. Add to that an obsession with pop culture and the video games, movies, and music of a bygone era, and you certainly have the ingredients of what could be a fun story.

The year is 2044, and the energy, environmental, and economic crises have made life miserable for the masses. It is perhaps the desolation around them that has driven people to retreat into the immersive online world of the OASIS, “a massively multiplayer online game that had gradually evolved into the globally networked virtual reality most of humanity now used on a daily basis”. The unprecedented success of the OASIS has made James Halliday, the video game designer responsible for creating it, one of the wealthiest people in the world.

It is with Halliday’s death, however, that the story begins. A reclusive billionaire with no heirs, he comes up with an eccentric way of finding someone to inherit his massive fortune: setting up a quest to find an Easter egg that he has hidden inside his most popular creation, the first person to discover which will inherit his vast empire. A cryptic clue is all he offers to get them started:

“Three hidden keys open three secret gates
Wherein the errant will be tested for worthy traits
And those with the skill to survive these straits
Will reach The End where the prize awaits”

Thus begins the quest to find Halliday’s Easter egg, looking for the copper, jade, and crystal keys hidden somewhere in the OASIS, and completing the challenges to open each gate until the egg is found.

There, however, is a slight snag – no one really has the slightest idea what it is they are looking for, or where to start looking for it. Millions of people (including a nefarious organisation that will do anything to win the hunt) devote every free moment of their lives to searching for the egg. All they know is that Halliday’s obsession with the 1980s might help them unravel his riddles. But five years pass and there is no success. Then, one day, Wade Watts’ name appears at the top of the scoreboard. He is the first person to find the copper key, and Ready Player One is his story.

The book relays Wade’s adventure as he narrates his quest and tells us about the world – both physical and virtual – that he lives in. The premise is certainly interesting, and the story itself isn’t all that long or complicated and is very easy to follow. It has, however, been extended with overly detailed exposition and intermittent info dumps, which get tedious and kill the pace of the narrative. You have to go through a lot of description to get to the action, and the quantity of exposition can feel exasperating; the quality, too, isn’t all that impressive. The story is told through very ordinary prose, and the stereotypical characters offer little introspection or depth. The writer brings up issues, then dismisses them in an off-handed way.

All of which leaves one confused about the novel’s intended audience. With a teenage protagonist and simple, young adult writing, the book seems to target the youth. But its obsession with the ‘80s makes it a nostalgia trip for those who grew up in that decade and who will probably have more fun with the movie, television, and video game references that are scattered throughout the book; then again, they might find the endless details that go with each reference thoroughly tiresome, and the writing unimpressive.

All in all, Ready Player One certainly is a fun adventure, albeit not necessarily an unmissable one. If you are a video games fanatic and don’t mind reading detailed descriptions of a character using a gadget or playing a game, then this virtual treasure hunt is very likely to engross you. Being able to stand copious references to pop culture is also essential. In short, fans of gaming and people obsessed with ’80s trivia who don’t mind pedestrian prose are very likely to enjoy Ready Player One.

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 27th September, 2013

This Is the End

movie review

This Is the End ***1/2

Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson
Written and directed by: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Tagline: Nothing ruins a party like the end of the world.

A bunch of actors - basically Seth Rogen and his famous Hollywood friends, mostly the cast members of various Judd Apatow projects - portraying amped up versions of themselves in an apocalyptic comedy co-written and co-directed by Rogen himself? If you look at it on paper, it might seem less than impressive, and you'd be forgiven for thinking it's nothing more than a vanity project.

Yet, shockingly enough, it all somehow works surprisingly well, at least for its (somewhat limited) intended audience.

An audacious stoner bromance based on Jason Stone's short Jay and Seth versus the Apocalypse, This Is the End sees Superbad scribes Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg pair up once again to not only write but also direct a film that is simultaneously goofy and incisive, and offers plenty of laughs along the way.

The main premise is simple: a group of young celebrities scramble for survival as the apocalypse strikes. It all begins when Jay Baruchel arrives in Los Angeles to hang out with his old friend Seth Rogen, who then convinces him to attend a party at James Franco's house. Baruchel reluctantly agrees, and the pair arrive at Franco's place, where the famous - including Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Michael Cera, Emma Watson, Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, and Jason Segel - have convened for a party that is disturbingly hedonistic in standard Hollywood style, with many in attendance either inebriated or stoned or both. But the festivities are cut short as the end of the world strikes. The righteous ascend to the sky, while Franco and his guests are (eventually to their bewilderment) among those left behind. Many quickly perish in the ensuing chaos. The few who survive try to figure out what is going on and struggle to get along with each other as they take refuge in Franco's mansion.

Of course actors have lampooned themselves in movies and on television before, and this isn't exactly a novel idea. The whole 'celebrities playing ridiculously obnoxious versions of themselves (while clearly insinuating the opposite)' thing has already been done before many times. Here the filmmakers have taken this idea to the extreme. Everyone plays an exaggerated version of themselves, or perhaps an extreme version of their public perception, and the filmmakers use this setup as an excuse to mock celebrity lifestyle (as well as how it appears to the rest of us) and offer a cheeky take on friendships in Hollywood while also using the film to satirize the incessant bevy of apocalypse movies and the apocalypse itself.

The main cast delivers fittingly zany performances (even though Danny McBride isn't too impressed with some of their acting at one point) and a couple of the cameos (Michael Cera and Emma Watson in particular) are very memorable. Plus the film is fairly well executed, and while it doesn't come with any extremely exceptional flourishes and could have been more even, it also doesn't give away the fact that this is the directing debut for its co-writers.

The reception of This Is the End is, however, likely to be very divisive, for the film is definitely not for everyone. To begin with, humour is notoriously subjective, and there is much in here that many would find distasteful. You need to have a high tolerance to profanity and gross-out jokes to enjoy this lark (which should be fairly obvious since this is a Rogen and Goldberg script after all). It's like Superbad meets Pineapple Express, amplified by a notch. If your sense of humour aligns with that of its creators, you are sure to have a fun time watching this movie and might even rank it as one of the funniest movies of the year; but if it doesn't, you are very likely to be put off by the crudity and irked by the antics.

The other factor that restricts its audience is that you need to be aware of the actors and their previous work to fully get the point. As the cast sends up their own typecasting, shoots a homemade Pineapple Express sequel, and ridicules each others quirks and behaviour, a certain degree of familiarity becomes essential to enjoying the film.

On the whole, This Is the End is an irreverent, rambunctious, and often amusing movie that hides a certain level of thought and reflection beneath its veneer of absurdity, puerility, and raunchiness. It is self-aware, perhaps a tad too self-referential and self-indulgent, and definitely polarizing - chances are, you will either love or hate this film, depending on your willingness to give into an outrageous premise and your level of tolerance for crude humour.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 22nd September, 2013

Only if you like your R&B rough and raucous

album review

Artist: Robin Thicke 

Album: Blurred Lines 

Not only has 'Blurred Lines' been one of the most successful songs of the year, but it has also been the track that has courted the most controversy. Everything from its lyrics to its music videos have come under scrutiny, and Miley Cyrus' by-now-infamous antics during the performance of this song at the MTV Video Music Awards last month has taken the track to an even higher level of ubiquity.

Its notoriety has also propelled singer Robin Thicke to global stardom. A decade after making his debut with the infectious 'When I Get You Alone' and releasing five relatively successful albums without causing much of a furore, the singer is now ruffling feathers with his latest record, Blurred Lines, that not only shares its name but also various other characteristics with its globally hit lead single and title track.

An amalgam of R&B, funk, and soul placed on a canvas of electronic beats and catchy pop hooks, the record puts forth a set of eleven slickly produced songs immodestly bathed in commercial ambition. Some of the industry's biggest names - including Pharrell, Timbaland, will.i.am, and Dr. Luke - are on hand to apply a glossy sheen to the material, and for the most part they make these songs sonically catchy and chart ready.

There is a mix of throwback and contemporary vibes on offer here, and Thicke's influences - from Marvin Gaye to Prince - are apparent as you go along. Whether he's doing his best Michael Jackson impersonation ('Ain't No Hat 4 That') or taking a page out of Justin Timberlake's book (like on the bonus track 'Put Your Lovin' On Me', or just about any other track on the album), Robin Thicke knows how to put together a catchy tune, which is something he does repeatedly over the course of this album. To their detriment though, he pairs these tunes with lyrics that range from questionable to downright distasteful. Thicke, who wrote or co-write every song on the record, hurls crude remarks, innuendo laden quips, and cheesy pickup lines at the listener for much of the album, mistaking misogyny and sleaziness for suavity, often blurring the line between playfulness and degradation.

There is no doubt about Robin Thicke's vocal abilities, and his soulfulness has been an asset throughout his career. And while his latest attempt to make a mainstream splash has been phenomenally successful, lurching down sleaze lane (coupled with his alleged personal foibles that have recently become tabloid fodder) probably isn't going to win him much respect, if that is something that he in any way craves.

Blurred Lines has made sure that the singer no longer resides just below the radar, but it has also left some of us wishing it came with some deeper or at least less denigrating subject matter. It's lively and upbeat, full of dance tunes and club jams, but if you are likely to be put off by crass lyrical content, then this album definitely isn't for you.

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 15th September, 2013

The Burka Avenger is here

cover story: interview

The Burka Avenger is here “to make people laugh, to entertain, and to send out positive social messages”

It is always refreshing when innovation and quality meet, that too for a good cause. And that is exactly what Unicorn Black has achieved with Burka Avenger. A blend of wit and action, the animated TV show follows the adventures of school teacher Jiya, who dons a burka to conceal her identity as she transforms into the superhero Burka Avenger, in order to confront the evil Baba Bandook and his henchmen, and fight for justice, peace, and education. The brainchild of pop singer Haroon, the show is fresh, innovative, and fun, and hopes to present a positive role model for young viewers. We got a chance to chat to Haroon and ask him about the series and the attention it has garnered internationally. Here’s what he had to say:

The Show

Us: How and when did you come up with the idea for Burka Avenger?
Haroon: It was in 2010, after many years of experience producing my own music videos, that I decided I wanted to produce and direct a movie in Pakistan. I shortlisted some ideas with local themes and one of them was about a school teacher who protects a girls’ school from being shut down by evil elements. After I created the Burka Avenger character, I realised that a full movie might be too large an undertaking as a first step. I started working on the iPhone game version of Burka Avenger in April 2011 with an artist and game programmers. It was then that we decided we wanted to give an anti-violence and pro-education message where she repels the bad guys attacking the girls’ school using pens, books, and schoolbags. In September/October 2011, we created a three minute 2D animated short showing the back-story to the game. This short animated clip turned out brilliantly and we realised that we had all the resources right in Islamabad to make an amazing animated TV show. Production on the TV show started in March 2012 and the first episode was completed in June 2012.

Us: How many episodes have been made so far? And do you plan to continue the show after the first season?
Haroon: The Burka Avenger TV series comprises 13 episodes of 22 minutes each. Only four episodes have been aired so far, but we have made waves locally and internationally. We have built up a large fan base for Burka Avenger and I think we want to keep the momentum going. So it looks likely that we will work on season two.

Us: How has the experience of working on the series been so far?
Haroon: It was an amazing experience.

Us: The word “Avenger” is already popularly associated with Marvel Comics’ team of superheroes, the Avengers. Why did you choose to use that word in your superhero’s name too?
Haroon: Before the Avenger Marvel Comics, there was a super-hit TV show called The Avengers in the 60s. It was about British spies. This was also turned into a successful movie called The Avengers which was released in 1998. Avenger is a very common word in the English language and has commonly been used in films, TV, radio, comics, and books over the last 100 years. I created the Burka Avenger character in 2010. This was two years before The Avengers movie came out. They absolutely DO NOT have any sole rights over the common English word “avenger”. The only irritation for me is that because of The Avengers movie many people in Pakistan call my series Burka Avengers instead of the Burka Avenger.

Us: Did you feel any added responsibility because the show would be watched by young viewers?
Haroon: Absolutely. I thought long and hard about each and every detail. I was very careful that there was nothing in the show that could offend anyone. We held focus group screenings for feedback. I have always been conscious of the fact that the media in Pakistan should be used for education and positive messages, whether it be through my music or a show like the Burka Avenger. I am not interested in making entertaining fluff without depth or some sort of positive social message.

Us: Why does the Burka Avenger hurl books and pens as weapons? Shouldn’t the emphasis be on using knowledge to fight evil/oppression?
Haroon: Most children’s TV shows are pretty violent. They have the main characters punching, kicking, biting, wrestling, and firing guns and canons. We all know that throwing a book at someone in real life as a weapon is ridiculous. Firstly due to the way it is shaped with the loose pages it will probably miss its target, and secondly if it does hit its target it is highly unlikely to do any damage at all. There are no known reports of anybody being hurt, harmed, or killed because they had a fiction paperback or textbook thrown at them. The fact that she is using pens and books highlights the underlying education theme and that the pen is mightier than the sword.

Reception

Us: Burka Avenger has been lauded both locally and internationally. Why do you think the show has been received so positively in Pakistan and what impact do you hope it will have on the industry?
Haroon: Pakistanis are really supporting towards the show because they acknowledge that the Burka Avenger is our own home-grown superhero character. The show is in Urdu and is very Pakistani. 40 talented young Pakistani men and women worked very hard to bring this project together. So Burka Avenger is not just a success for Unicorn Black but also for all of Pakistan.
Usually the stories coming out in international press on Pakistan are negative. This is thankfully a positive story that highlights our culture, music, and the ingenuity of our people. We have some amazing talent in Pakistan. Hopefully we can attract foreign companies to outsource their animation work to Pakistan. We are hoping Burka Avenger will be the start of a renaissance period for animation in Pakistan.

Us: Were you expecting that the series would garner as much international attention as it did?
Haroon: I did know that the team at Unicorn Black and myself were creating something very special. I felt confident that we would get a positive reception. However, the reception internationally and locally far surpassed our expectations. We got four million hits on our website BurkaAvenger.com in the first three days of release, and we are getting over one million Facebook post views a week. That is phenomenal.

Soundtrack

Us: Please tell us about the song ‘Lady in Black’ that you worked on with Adil Omar.
Haroon: I really liked his song ‘Paki Rambo’ and I wanted to use a wide range of artists on the soundtrack. I reached out to him. All I told him was the song should be called ‘Don’t Mess With The Lady in Black’. He went away and came up with a brilliant song with brilliant lyrics. I composed and sang the chorus “don’t mess with the lady in black, when she’s on the attack” and we had a great song and collaboration.

Us: Which other artists can we expect to hear on the series/soundtrack?
Haroon: Some amazing Pakistani and South Asian stars. Arieb Azhar, Ali Azmat, JoSH, Sheryar and Zoe Viccaji, Assad Ahmed, and many others. Also Ali Zafar makes an appearance as himself in animated version to save the day in episode four.

Other activities

Us: When did you set up your production company/studios Unicorn Black? Why is it called Unicorn Black?
Haroon: I set up the company in March 2012. I called in Unicorn Black because I am a fan of mythological creatures. Unicorns are always white. But we are a company with a difference, hence Unicorn Black.

Us: Are there any other projects that the company is currently involved with?
Haroon: Yes! My team at Unicorn Black and myself produced a beautiful short animated series called Quaid Se Baaten. The main character is a young girl who has a poster of Pakistan’s founding father Quaid-e-Azam ian her room. In her dream, he comes to life and imparts knowledge, wisdom, and messages such as unity, anti-discrimination, cleanliness, et cetera. This was created and directed by Daniyal Noorani and co-directed and produced by myself. Our talented Unicorn Black employees did a hundred percent of the work at our Unicorn Black production house.

Us: Your fans have been waiting for a new Haroon album for quite some time now. Can we expect a new release from you anytime soon?
Haroon: I have three albums waiting for release. One, of course, is the Burka Avenger OST. One is an Urdu Haroon album. And one is an English one. So look out for a lot of songs and music videos coming soon. I have been working hard.

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 30th August, 2013