Music:
Everyone has an opinion on the Mohenjodaro controversy but why is nobody up in arms over the outrage that is ‘Pakistan ka Beta’, the self-mutilation of Ali Gul Pir’s hit song ‘Waderay ka Beta’? The razor-sharp anthem satirizing sons of waderas has been defanged by the son of a wadera and turned into something suspiciously resembling a sentimental cola commercial. Another reminder of why artists, especially kinds who thrive on social commentary, should not cosy up to people in power.
Bilawal and Bakhtawar’s peppy ‘Saaeein’ ad with a sly nod at this very waderaness is a real breeze of fresh air though; particularly considering the other option for the young – the humourless PTI leader and his bat-wielding youth. Pleasantest surprise of all is Bakhtawar, with her down-to-earth charm and an ajrak fluidly deployed (sometimes on the head, sometimes not), and a promotional rap song. An aspiring female politician (?) or sister of an aspiring politician rapping away with a man, now that is the kind of envelope only the PPP can push (though even they didn’t dare bring the song out on video). As for accusations that a whole lot of it isn’t particularly Sindhi, culture is a fluid entity, if it doesn’t grow and evolve, it is dead. As far as I am concerned the PPP make for a wonderful opposition. If only some of this chutzpah were visible when they’re actually leading the federal government.
Interwebs:
A Man’s Hijab, a satirical Facebook page has found great traction since it got featured on (the wildly popular website) buzzfeed.com, injecting some much needed humour into faith-based discourse. It turns the tables on Facebook posts admonishing Muslimahs to cover their heads with a hijab by making the beard just as central to men’s modesty, all with its tongue firmly in cheek. You will particularly enjoy it if you are familiar with the infantilizing language of evangelical pages slut-shaming Muslim women who do not wear the headscarf. Unsurprisingly, the page has been banned in Saudi Arabia (reason enough for you to go check it out soon). Just type A Man’s Hijab in your Facebook search bar.
Theatre:
Put off by the sentimental political populism and casual sexism of Savaa Chauda August, I wasn’t expecting much from Half-Playt, the Anwar Maqsood-penned play from Karachi that is currently playing at Lahore’s Alhamra Theatre. Mercifully, it turned out to be neither sappy nor misogynistic, but a laugh-out-loud funny, almost socially subversive romp I didn’t believe the legendary Maqsood sahib could still pull out of his gag bag. Giving a middle-aged, married leading lady enough room to reminisce with an old boyfriend about what could have been, Half-Playt is a tender reflection on idealism and love, saved from any hint of melodrama by its hilarious punchlines and warm performances. Really well worth getting out of the house for.
Video:
If you still haven’t downloaded a proxy (software to help circumvent state censorship of the internet) for YouTube in fear of a clunky program slowing down your system, do a little bit of research. There are plenty of great ones out there that work seamlessly in the background and do not stall everything else on your machine.
Now that that is sorted, scoot over to Emilie Graslie’s YouTube channel ‘The Brainscoop’. The first-ever Chief Curiosity Correspondent at The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago (one of the largest natural history museums in the world), Graslie’s YouTube channel presents the zoological and paleontological world of science in an eminently entertaining package. The best part for me is her vocal response to sexist backlash for being an identifiable face for women working in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields.
Film:
The LEGO movie currently has a 100% rating on the movie-reviews aggregator site rottentomatoes.com. Yep! Curmudgeonly critics who get paid to nitpick in any number of creative ways have all given this one two thumbs up (with apologies to Ebert and Siskel for that particular piece of plagiarism). Here’s hoping Pakistani film distributors will bring it to cinemas soon and not just in the mid-afternoon children’s slot. Enough Lego geeks around, young and old, who wouldn’t mind reliving their childhood on 3D.
App:
Named the iPhone app of the year (2013) by Apple, Duolingo is a unique new approach to learning a new language. The app currently teaches Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese to English speakers in a way that doesn’t feel like homework. With hearts indicating ‘lives’, drumrolls and trumpets for sound effects and ‘stages’ you can successfully cruise through, the app’s mojo lies in its real video game feel. It has been criticized by users for the ‘silly sentences’ it throws up, but used in tandem with other learning tools – the Coffeebreak Spanish/French podcasts, for instance, or the BBC’s free language learning website – it can set you on to the path of a more immersive holiday experience or reading a book in a romantic European language (depending on the level of seriousness you’re aiming for).