Review by Maheen A. Rashdi published in Dawn, Books & Authors, September 25, 2016. “Shafique’s narrative is addictive, and while you may pick up Waheed Murad: His Life and Our Times out of curiosity … the story that unfolds surpasses expectations. Whilst revealing diverse aspects of Waheed Murad’s personality, Shafique has opened up a new […]
The people’s actor Read More »
The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, November 25, 2012 “This is our misfortune: we are giving birth to a society where courage has come to be understood as being a bully, and the nobility of character is seen as cowardice. Today, a blood-dripping gandasa has become the icon of our culture and civilisation, instead of the
The Sohni Dharti school of thought Read More »
This article was originally published in Dawn Images, March 14, 2010. In presenting it here, I am making two changes to correct a factucal error. The third sentence in the original text was, “Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the dissident foreign minister who was generally identified with a hard line stance against India, had just received an
Armaan of a nation Read More »
This article was originally published in Dawn Images, 30 November 2008, as an obituary (ironically, just as I was finishing my article ‘The Mystery Behind Waheed Murad‘, the man who might have known the most about that mystery was breathing his last). Filmmaker Pervez Malik died on November 18. It can’t be the end of
Farewell, Pervez Malik Read More »
Dawn Images, Sunday, 23 November 2008 I have been researching the life and works of Waheed Murad for more than 20 years now and the mystery around him deepens with every new clue that I come across. He is the greatest screen legend of Pakistani cinema and therefore we forget that he was also a
The mystery behind Waheed Murad Read More »
Dawn Tuesday Review, October 29-November 4, 1996 Bazmi, Nisar. Born 1925, in Jalagaon near Bombay. Began working in C class and B class movies in 1944. Migrated to Pakistan in the early 1960s, and received instant recognition as a foremost film composer. Composed music for over 140 films altogether. Presently lives in Karachi, in a
Nisar Bazmi – On a song Read More »
This article was first published in Dawn Tuesday Review, 20-26 August, 1996 Afternoon, March 16, 1966. Naz Cinema, Karachi. The scene opens on a night club. The atmosphere is lively with a band, drums and the guitar. Young couples are shown taking to the floor, gyrating to the Western music. The camera tilts right to
Pervez Malik – Light, camera, action Read More »
Dawn, Tuesday Review, January 23-29, 1996 A few weeks back there was a musical programme arranged by some university students. The band on the stage was singing Kokokorina, and the unsuspecting crooner mixed up a couple of lines. I was amazed to see that not only did all the listeners begin hooting the performers, but
Sohail Rana – The unstrung hero Read More »