The new movie, Ghanchakkar had driven me really and truly Ghanchakkar (confused) - up until I started writing this review! Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta and starring Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan and Namit Das, Ghanchakkar is not what most people would have expected it to be. I booked the first-day show for the movie, thinking that I am going to watch a rom-com with the ‘serial kisser’ Emraan Hashmi and the great Vidya Balan! Sure, we had known from the pre-release synopsis that it was a story about a bank robber who had forgotten where he had hidden his loot and the mayhem that ensues after that. However, I still thought it would turn out to be more Bollywood-ish, with some madcap comedy and a dash of romance. What we ended up seeing on the screen instead was a crazy, dark comedy/thriller told from the point of view of an amnesiac who is confused, mistrusting and forgetting more by the day. Frankly, at times the audience is confused with the on-screen events too! If you go with an open mind, you will find Ghanchakkar full of surprises. Yes, the pace is a little slow but the story lazily grows on you – the story of a thoughtful, sometimes sly portrait of a man whose identity has been shattered. (PS: There’s always a hint that he may be leading everyone on and that it’s all just a show!) Trust becomes the issue, and it’s in short supply. Can he trust his memory? Can he trust his wife - does she know more than what she pretends to? Did his suddenly rich best friend betray him? And then comes the surprising, out-of-the-box finale. It is offbeat, dark and leaves the audience with more questions than answers! Performance wise, both Vidya and Emraan are the tops – they are powerhouse actors and excel once again in their roles. Balan plays the gaudily dress, Punjabi accented housewife with a spark, but since the story revolves more around Emraan’s character, he stands out with his poker-face expressions right till the very end of the movie! The two lead actors are supported by some fine performances delivered by Rajesh Sharma and Namit Das. Their superbly timed antics are a perfect off-set for Hashmi’s deadpan seriousness and keep the on-goings entertaining. All said and done, I wish the director had edited the movie better. The run-time (137 minutes) was too long for the story genre and at some points the story just wasn’t moving! Secondly, Ghanchakkar is a classic case of a bad marketing campaign, where the audience is being duped into thinking they are coming to the cinema to see a comedy caper – which it is not. Had the movie been marketed as a dark comedy, the makers could have really saved themselves a lot of negative word of mouth. Of late, Bollywood has been churning out a lot of indie/offbeat movies and some of these films, such as Oh My God and Special 26,  have even done great box office business simply by positive word of mouth. I don't understand why the makers of Ghanchakkar didn't want to take the marketing risk. Verdict: Go watch Ghanchakkar because it is an offbeat, funny movie and includes some great performances! Rating: **1/2 Read more by Samra here or follow her on Twitter @samramuslim

Ah, the scorching heat of summer is here. It may be hot and humid, but one can't deny that it’s also the season of delicious, juicy fruits and vegetables. Watermelon, succulent mangoes, seedy falsa berries - you name it! All the healthy gifts of nature are here for you to avail. During the summer, especially when the humidity rises, it is very important to stay hydrated in order to avoid a heatstroke or unnecessary exhaustion. A lot of sweating decreases the body’s water level resulting in summer ailments. Opting for home-made drinks over packaged and preserved beverages is the way to go! Some of the well-loved classic desi summer drinks have been enjoyed for generations and are still superbly alluring. Made from fresh fruits, these coolers are loaded with antioxidants, vitamin C and B6, minerals, dietary fibre, potassium, phosphorus and many micro-nutrients. Here, I am sharing some simple, healthy, as well as tantalising drinks that won't take much effort to make but will refresh both  your body and spirit. These are dazzling – in looks and in taste. I hope you will enjoy them fully to quench your summer thirst. Cheers! 1. Watermelon slush You will need: Seeded watermelon chunks 3 cups Lime juice 1/3 cup Black salt (Kaala namak ¼ tsp Sugar 1 tsp or to taste Roasted cumin seed powder ¼ tsp (optional) Ice cubes Blend all the above ingredients until smooth. Pour the mixture in a container and put it in freezer for 2-3 hours. After the mentioned time, blend the mixture again until it becomes slushy. Pour in glasses and serve immediately. 2. Mango lassi You will need: Yoghurt 1 cup Milk ½ cup Mango cubes 1 cup Sugar 4 tsp or to taste Cardamom powder ¼ tsp (optional) Ice cubes Blend all the above ingredients until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve chilled. 3. Sherbet-e-falsa You will need: Falsa 2 cups Sugar ½ cups or to taste Black salt ½ tsp Water ½ cup Ice cubes Mix all the ingredients and blend them very well. You can add a little more water if you prefer a more dilute drink. After blending, sieve the mixture to discard all the seeds. Add more ice if required and serve chilled. 4. Pineapple shake You will need: Pineapple chunks 1 cup Milk ½ cup Tutti frutti ice cream 1-2 cups Sugar 2-3 tsp or to taste Grounded cinnamon ¼ tsp In a blender, combine all the ingredients and blend them well to get smooth texture. Pour into glasses and enjoy. 5. Raw mango cooler You will need: Green mangoes (kairi) 2 Water 41/2 cups Salt ½ tsp Sugar 3-4 tbsp or to taste Mint leaves 3 tbsp Lemon wedges (optional) Roasted cumin seed 1 tsp Ice cubes In a big pot, pour water enough for boiling mangoes (approximately for 10 minutes). Drain and peel the skin of the mangoes. Scoop out all the flesh. In a blender, add flesh and all the above mentioned ingredients except lemon wedges. In a glass, add some chopped mint leaves and lemon wedges and pour the mango blended mush. Decorate with lemon. Serve chilled. Some tips: Instead of sugar you can go for honey or jaggery (gurh). You can add black pepper along with black salt. Instead of tutti frutti ice cream, you can use vanilla flavour. To avoid the breakage of your blender, put large ice pieces into a plastic bag and breakup them into small ones with the help of a roller pin or kitchen hammer. Have fun staying fresh, hydrated and thus more focused this summer. Try out one of these drinks every day of the week! PHOTOS: TANVEER KHADIM Read more by Tanveer here

People say I have a wicked sense of humour. And if that’s true, I think I know where it came from. I was cradled by humour since the day I was born. A chest surgeon by profession, my chacha, Dr Aamir Ijaz has spread laughter lines much more than the stitches he has sewn. He claims to be my adopted mother and used to shower me with gifts, hugs, shoulder rides, and till date endless laughter. Wit, a one-liner, pun, wisecrack, pulling someone’s leg or a dirty joke – he is the master of all. I have seen my 90-year-old grandfather teary eyed with laughter at his jokes and I have also seen my six-year-old daughter smiling up to him shyly as he related a silly remark to her. Tall, handsome and caring, he is a walking comic. As much as he loves food he avoids it to keep his figure fit. Once, at a family get together his wife had made “Shahi Tukras” and he kept inviting everyone to come and try the ‘royal pieces.’ And when I came across this particular recipe it instantly reminded me of him. The Shahi Tukray have been part of the South Asian dessert collection since the time the Mughal emperors ruled in the 15^th century over regions that now comprise of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Originally from Pakistan, this dessert has many variations. Simply put - it is fried pieces of bread, spiced with saffron and cardamom, dipped in cream, sweetened with sugar syrup or condensed milk (modern version) and finally garnished with slivered almonds and chopped pistachios. For some it is also an Eastern version of the bread and butter pudding. During one of my dinners at home I decided to serve a desi dessert knowing too well that our guests would love a taste of home – sitting far from home here in Singapore. I came across the original recipe on www.spicespoon.com, by a Pakistani food blogger, based in Canada, Shayma Saadat, who has an excellent relationship with food and her readers. However, I have tweaked it a bit to suit our sweet palate and hope that you will soon indulge in this royal dessert. Ingredients (serves eight-ten sweet-toothed people) 1.  10 slices of stale bread 2.  ¼ lb (100 g) unsalted butter (and some extra for buttering the baking dish) 3.  Oil for frying 4.  ¾ cup (200 ml) full cream milk 5.  ¾ cup (200 ml) double/whipping cream 6.  2 cups (500 ml) double cream 7.  Sugar syrup 8.  ¾ cup (200 ml) water 9.  1 ¼ cup (330 g) sugar 10. Seeds from 4-5 cardamom pods 11. 2 generous pinches of saffron 12. Garnish 13. ½ cup (65 g slivered) slivered almonds 14. ½ cup (65 g) chopped pistachios Method

• Lightly grease a two-quart (two-litre) baking dish and set aside.

•  Cut off the edges of the bread and slice in half on the diagonal.

• Place a frying pan on medium heat and generously smear with some butter and oil (approximately two tbsp) and fry the bread slices till lightly toasted on both sides. (Repeat this step until the whole batch is done.)

• Transfer the fried bread pieces into a single layer in your baking dish; reserve any extra pieces.

• In a jug, stir together, milk and double cream. Slowly pour over the bread pieces.

• While the bread pieces are soaking up the creamy liquid, combine water, sugar, cardamom seeds and saffron in a saucepan and boil over high heat.

• When the sugar mixture starts changing colour to deep amber and slightly thickens, take off heat (will take approximately be five-seven minutes to thicken.)

• Pour half of the extra double cream (500 ml) on the bread slices followed by the sugar syrup.

•  If left with additional pieces of bread add more layers to the baking dish by pouring in the rest of the milk-cream mixture and waiting for the bread to absorb the liquid, followed by the remaining double cream and sugar syrup.

•  Let the bread mixture sit on the counter for 20 minutes before placing it in a pre-heated 180c (350-F) oven.

•  Bake for 35 minutes until the bread is puffed up, glowing in the colours of saffron and caramelised sugar and ever so creamily soft. Garnish with nuts just before serving.

Aun Zara is a fresh, new comedy from the same team that made Aik Nayee Cinderella earlier this year. Based on Faiza Iftikhar’s novel Hissar e Mohabbat and directed by Haissem Hussain, the story revolves around two spoilt, only children who are desperately trying to escape their controlling families. Aun is tired of his family’s obsessive attention towards his personal life. Exhausted by their constant interference he complains bitterly to his friend Manzar:

“Yeh ghar nahin, ICU ward hai!” (This is not a house it’s an ICU Ward!)

“Tou, aam hona ghalat hai daddy?” (Is it wrong to be ordinary, daddy?)

“To value the relationships in our lives - otherwise life will teach us to value them."

It’s not every day that we, journalists, get enough time to spare for a day out at the movies. So, when I finally got the opportunity to watch Ghanchakkar (not really top on my list) with a group of friends, there existed a moment of sheer excitement, more so because after weeks of working tirelessly, I could just relax on the business-class lookalike luxury chairs at Cinepax’s Gold Screen hall and enjoy a movie to its fullest. Now, for those of you who haven’t watched the movie yet, Ghanchakkar is a far cry from Bollywood’s masala, borrowed-from-the-south potboilers like Dabangg and Rowdy Rathore. Rather, it is one of those atypical directorial ventures that have an intriguing concept but fall short of maintaining it to the Hollywood level. Ghanchakkar is basically about Sanju (Emraan Hashmi), a couch potato who relies heavily on the income from his last robbery and his blabbermouth, style-struck wife Neetu (Vidya Balan). They seem to be content with their married life, squabbling over food and the regular saas-bahu issues, until two relatively shady goons offer Sanju a deal of INR10 million for breaking into a safe at a bank. After a successful heist, the trio splits up giving ‘safe-cracker’ the responsibility to hide the cash. After three months and an unmentioned accident, Sanju is left clueless as a result of amnesia and the rest of the movie is an endless search for the loot money. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540"] Photo: PUBLICITY[/caption] In an attempt to create an unpredictable mystery amidst an environment of dark comedy, the movie seems like an utter drag by the second half with only a few half-baked funny moments. Although it did manage to entertain me to a certain extent, it was less than halfway through the movie that I was left kind of bewildered over Pakistani censor board’s editing skills and its rather hypocritical selection of movies. There were a few ‘sexually explicit’ scenes that left many feeling a little more than just uncomfortable. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540"] Photo: PUBLICITY[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540"] Photo: PUBLICITY[/caption] In a recent turn of events, the Central Board of Film Censors banned the screening of Raanjhanaa because it presents ‘an inapt image of a Muslim girl’. Thanks to the piracy-driven cable network, I managed to watch Raanjhanaa over a late night dinner and that is probably why I was left surprised while I was watching Ghanchakar and was encouraged to make a comparison. Yes, Raanjhanaa is the love-knows-no-boundaries, inter-religious, whimsical love story but with a slightly out of place political twist. The movie revolves on a Banarsi roadside romeo Kundan’s (Dhanush) continuous struggle to win a Muslim girl Zoya’s (Sonam Kapoor) heart. A story set up alongside a number of supporting characters and script variations, Raanjhanaa is a good story of love, passion and greed. Yes, it could have been great if only it kept its tone neutral and did not confuse audiences with the political aspect. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540"] Photo: https://www.facebook.com/RaanjhanaaTheFilm[/caption] Agreeably, Raanjhanaa contradicts with Islamic values, as a Muslim girl is never to associate with a Hindu guy, at least on screen even if exceptions exist in reality. But then isn’t everything related to love or having an affair against Islamic values and don’t the awkwardly explicit ‘bedding’ scenes in Ghanchakkar deserve to be reviewed and edited? Clearly, the censor board’s editing preferences depend more on religious appropriateness yet Ghanchakkar was left more or less uncensored in the light of so-called moderate enlightenment that definitely does not gel with ‘our values’. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="432"] Photo: https://www.facebook.com/RaanjhanaaTheFilm[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="395"] Photo: https://www.facebook.com/RaanjhanaaTheFilm[/caption] Word has it that even Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Chennai Express will be banned over Eid. While obviously Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’s fate was lost over the apparent partition subject, the intensity of which will only be revealed once the movie is released but what makes Chennai Express so unsuitable for Muslim audience? Can it then be said that the Central Board of Film Censors fears some competition as Main Hoon Shahid Afridi is also scheduled to release on Eid? What needs to be understood is that a few screens in our country is not likely to damage a Bollywood film’s success and considering that our audience is increasingly relying on cinema for entertainment, Main Hoon Shahid Afridi will receive its due share of attention given the popularity of its name. The rest will only depend on the storyline and performances and not because the audience attention was divided. Surprisingly, even Main Hoon Shahid Afridi has Mahnoor Baloch dancing in a rather skimpy outfit and may I point out this too, is inappropriate thing for a Muslim girl to do. Conclusively, the censor board is evidently confused and relatively biased over film selections; it clearly needs to reconsider its editing guidelines. Read more by Nida here

Last night I chose to watch the movie, GI Joe 2: Retaliation, hoping to get a dose of some much needed action and science fiction. However, this was not the case. A good hour and a half that felt like days later, I was praying for my electricity to crash so that I would have an excuse to get rid of the rest of the movie. But then again, what else can we expect from Hollywood, an industry that is running out of things to sell? The movie was far from light-hearted action. In fact, it should have been titled ‘Propaganda’. This sequel of the renowned GI Joe has been appropriately banned by the Central Board of Film Censors in Islamabad as it depicts a rather negative illustration of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. The movie shows that jihadis are so empowered that they manage to seize the entire missile site along with active nuclear warheads! Then, there is a scene where the president of Pakistan is assassinated followed by an imposition of martial law. It seems as if the bestselling premise in Hollywood is to represent Muslims as terrorists and now they have gone as far as waging propaganda against Pakistani nukes. For instance, in 2012, a drama series called Last Resort was introduced in which the US filmmaker implanted the idea of bombing Pakistan with nuclear weapons to save the US. However, now these filmmakers have moved on to portraying Pakistani nukes falling prey to the Taliban or other extremist forces in an attempt to spread chaos and fear among other nations. Such ideas are also publicised through western journalism. Tom Hundley, in his long essay ‘Race to the End’, tries to prove Pakistan, a failed state and, Pakistani nuclear assets are a threat to the world, whereas India has been emphasised as the world’s largest democracy - an unbeatable nuclear power. No doubt, the US has always used the media - predominantly films - to mould public opinion. For instance, Swordfish, a flawed thriller from 2001, anticipated much of the ‘war on terror’ and was probably a flop only because it was released three months before the 9/11 attacks. However, the message was received. Other examples include internationally acclaimed video games like Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Medal of Honor: Warfighter that were banned in Pakistan. These games were removed from store shelves earlier this year because of their controversial depiction of Pakistan and its intelligence agencies. Furthermore, Hollywood has been used to generate panic among Americans to boost the illicit agenda of American elites. With respect to contemporary US tensions with North Korea, a ‘Millennium Films’ picture of 2013, Olympus Has Fallen, portrays a covert North Korean commando team that conducts a military assault on the White House, takes control, and kidnaps the president. Another movie, Red Dawn, which was released in 2012, initially portrayed a Chinese military invasion of the United States. However, under immense pressure from Beijing the film’s producers changed the military attackers to North Koreans. Thus, every medium is being utilised by the US government to inject hatred in their people for particular nations, portraying them as precise belligerents - especially the Muslim nations. According to statistics released by The Washington Post, the US Congress has allocated an annual budget of $7 million to Radio Farda. By using this obscene amount of money, this soft war machine produces and disseminates falsehood and mendacious propaganda against the nation of Iran. Instead of highlighting US aggression around the world, the western media produces such twaddle movies. Meanwhile in real life, US naval ships are in the gulf, monitoring Iran; drone attacks rampant in Pakistan despite scores of civilian casualties, and the US government is party to disputes and wars between neighbours in different parts of the world, using media to their advantage wherever they can. A pertinent saying that crosses my mind each time I think of this is,

“No matter how big the lie; repeat it often enough and the masses will regard it as the truth.”

The blessed month of Ramazan is a superb opportunity to practice self-restraint, self-accountability as well as a great chance to shift to lighter meals and find a healthier lifestyle. To beat the hot and humid weather, it is imperative to have the right choice of food during this holy month. Avoiding high processed, fatty, oily, spicy, fried foods and having lots of fruity drinks is the key to good health. The pre-dawn meal or Suhoor or Sehri - whatever you may call it - is a vital constituent of Ramazan. Indulging in a healthy Sehri nourishes, hydrates and strengthens the body to cope with the upcoming fast; it also reduces the dreaded hunger pangs! Iftar is the time to replenish your energy level, while Sehri is meant to give you an energetic start. These days, skipping Sehri is a norm. People generally complain about the lack of sleep or time as an excuse to skip Sehri. Unfortunately, what they don’t realise is that, Sehri is not only good for the mind, body and soul, it is believed that those who partake in Sehri are rewarded with blessings. On the other hand, by skipping Sehri you actually force your body to rely on the last meal consumed and are more likely to experience dehydration, headaches and weariness. Moreover, it is extremely healthy to have a nutrient intense meal at Sehri to maintain energy levels. The trick is to select the right food. Think simplicity - start your Sehri by including fruits, whole-grains and protein. Even adding a bowl of yogurt, juice, beans, vegetables and drinking lots of fluids gives you a high energetic charge that will last throughout the day. Eating dates at Sehri is also a very healthy habit. Adding four to six dates to your meal means you essentially fuel your body with minerals, antioxidants, vitamins, fibre, folate and so on in addition to the nutrients in the meal! Making Sehri in the morning can be a bit of a task, so what I am going to do is provide you with some easy to make recipes for a balanced and healthy meal for Sehri. This meal will comprise of a milkshake, an omelette with two toasts, a bowl of oatmeal, fruit and dates. Oats are full of nutritional intensity that will fill you up; likewise you will consume fruits, milk and yogurt in a single glass of milkshake. Similarly, you will have a small portion of veggies in the form of an omelette. Quick and easy to make, this meal is filling, super nutritious and delicious. Here are the recipes: Oatmeal with apricots in honey syrup Ingredients: - Dried apricots chopped 3-4 tbsp - Almonds chopped 2 tbsp - Raisins 1-2 tbsp - Milk ½ cup - Honey 2 tbsp - Sugar to taste - Oats 5 tbsp - Water 3 cups - Cinnamon ¼ tsp \ Method: In a saucepan, let the water, milk, honey, cinnamon, apricots, almonds, raisins and sugar boil. Now add oats and simmer for two minutes or until desired consistency. Classic omelette Ingredients: - Capsicum chopped 2-3 tbsp - Carrot chopped 2 tbsp - Scallion chopped 2 tbsp - Coriander chopped 1 tbsp - Green chillies chopped 1 tsp - Cheddar cheese grated 2 tbsp - Milk 2 tbsp - Eggs 2 - Salt to taste - Black pepper 1 tsp - Oil for frying Method: In a bowl mix all the ingredients and beat until it turns yellow in colour. Heat oil in a non-stick sauté pan and add the omelette mixture and spread it all over with the help of a spatula. Cook for one-two minutes. Next, gently flip one side of the omelette and let it cook for a minute or two - until there is no uncooked mixture left. Gently transfer the cooked omelette to your plate. Serve with two toasts. Mango and banana shake Ingredients: - Banana 1 - Mango 1 - Milk 1 cup - Yogurt ½ cup - Lime juice 1-2 teaspoon - Sugar to taste Method: In a blender add all the above mentioned ingredients and blend until it’s frothy. This meal is a good example of protein, complex carbohydrates, fibre, low fat, less spice and fried diet. Additionally, make sure to consume lots of water/fruity drinks to beat the dehydration. Enjoy a happy, healthy and peaceful Ramadan! Stay blessed, always! PHOTOS: TANVEER KHADIM Read more by Tanveer here

Lootera is one Bollywood flick that seems to have drawn very strong reactions for people – they either love it or hate it – and both situations are actually understandable! As per the synopsis, the film is set in the years 1953-54. Pakhi (Sonakshi Sinha) is a young Bengali girl, living with her father, a zamindar, in an aristocratic world. Here enters an archaeologist, Varun (Ranveer Singh), seeking help from the zamindar with a letter from the Archaeological Society of India. With his remarkable knowledge of books, music, and expertise in his own field, Varun impresses the zamindar, sneaking his way into the life of the family and the heart of Pakhi as love between them blossoms. But soon a shocking revelation shatters their world leading them to some unanticipated circumstances. A part of the film is inspired from O Henry's short story "The Last Leaf"". Overall, Lootera is an uplifting story of two lovers - a story of heartbreak, betrayal and ultimate redemption. It is a simple story that has been told dozens of times on screen. But what makes Lootera stand out from all the other Mills & Boons romantic flicks we have seen is how Motwane has treated the story. Lootera is a movie which shows cinematic brilliance on screen and each frame is immaculately shot. The locale and scenery will absorb you. The direction is a clear winner and the movie moves at an effortless (though sometimes slow) pace. Silence plays a crucial role in this movie. In real life we often use silence to convey thousands of emotions and this whole movie unfolds in classic moments of silence - eyes, facial expressions, gestures, visuals, surroundings and last but most important, the background score. Silence truly speaks a thousand words in Lootera. The music of Lootera is another gem – and both the songs and the background score compliment the story to perfection. Top marks to Amit Trivedi for giving us tracks like Shikayatein, Zinda and Ankahee! Full marks must be given to Sonakshi and Ranveer as both the actors shed away the loud, over-the-top characters of their previous movies and present themselves in a totally new image, establishing the fact that they can act well. Sonakshi Sinha is the real star of the show. She effortlessly portrays the depths of her character and brings out vivid moods with brilliant skill. She indubitably is a revelation, who (surprisingly) looks pretty nice too. Ranveer Singh gives a good performance – however I do wish he showed a wider range of expressions that Varun’s character needed.  I also felt that the onscreen chemistry between Ranveer and Sonakshi was a bit ‘thanda’ given the passionate story! Barun Chanda, Vikrant Massey, Divya Dutta and the brilliant Adil Hussain are perfect for their respective roles. Do yourself a favour by not missing Lootera on the big screen. But if you have loved Bodyguards or Son of Sardars, Bhatt factory products, or other Salman Khan/Akshay Kumar stuff or if you are excited about SRK's Eid release - chances are you would abhor this one so you may not want to go! Verdict: Vikramaditya Motwane's Lootera is a visual painting, an ode to love with sheer brilliance and magic woven on celluloid. With a strong narrative and exceptional performances, especially from Sonakshi Sinha, this film can easily claim to be a plush masterpiece. Lootera is a must must watch for those who are seeking good cinema within the mainstream domain. Read more by Samra here or follow her on Twitter @samramuslim

The TV-show ‘Bulbulay’ enjoys a sizable fan-following in Pakistan, but I’ve never really been a part of that base. On watching its most recent episode, my face appears to have been restructured to bear a permanent grimace. The story went something like this (needless to say, you’ll find spoilers here!): A penniless man arrives at the family’s doorstep begging for food. He stays at the door for several hours, sobbing uncontrollably about his woeful condition. The fact that the show’s writers managed to squeeze jokes into the episode with such a background story, is a remarkable feat. But wait, it gets funnier! Momo- that silly amnesic goose, forgets to feed the beggar and he starves to death at their threshold. The household enters a state of panic; the trademark, overacted ‘family crisis’ scenario that is the heart of the show’s success. Hilarity ensues as they come together to figure out ways to dispose of the beggar’s corpse, and avoid taking responsibility for his demise. The writers decide that the situation isn’t sepulchral enough, so they add another twist: the poor man’s son arrives at the door, inquiring about his father. Momo’s husband accidentally informs the son that his father is dead (funny sound effects are played in the background). At the end of this - let’s say ‘awkward’ conversation - the son rushes over the father’s dead body, hugging it and moaning inconsolably. A final twist in the story ultimately pulls it out of its morbid state, but by then I had already switched off the TV in disgust (I later called a friend to find out what the ending was, so I could finish writing this blog.) I’m familiar with dark humour, but this is supposed to be family comedy for ammi, abu, nanu, guria and munna to enjoy together. There may be an audience for the show that lol’d and rofl’d through the episode, but I didn’t. My lack of amusement was blamed on my missing sense of humour, or my alleged hypersensitivity. But I had my reasons to frown: One, that the episode is airing in a country where there’s an obvious culture of treating beggars as sub-humans; pestilent beings who cause such great inconvenience to us haves by dropping dead on or near our properties. Also, it’s thing like these that fuel our annoyance towards the poor. They are consistently represented as brutes, con-artists or members of a begging ‘industry’, a street syndicate, running a lucrative business based on our generosity. These cases are certainly not non-existent. But they are wildly exaggerated by privileged Pakistanis so they can feel less guilty about not giving a damn about the poor. So that we may ignore, insult and shoo away the needy, without an ounce of remorse. Under these prevailing social conditions, the episode in question came off (at least to me) as callous and excruciatingly unfunny. Call me 'sensitive', but it worries me that we’re a society where human starvation is passé enough to be spun casually into a family comedy for us all to laugh at, and move on with our businesses. Read more by Faraz here, or follow him on Twitter @FarazTalat 

He’s here. Don’t pretend you don’t know who I am talking about; the entire world is one baby fart close to wearing a romper and carrying a baby rattle themselves. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="354"] Photo: AFP[/caption] I appreciate and welcome new life into this world, however if you make me feel like we’re literally standing at Pride Rock and waiting for a Simba, it makes me cringe. Here are my reasons for not losing my mind over the birth of a child: 361,481 babies: According to the United States Census Bureau, for 2010, 361,481 babies are born each day around the world. This means that for every minute there are 251 babies born worldwide which, in effect, means that a baby is a pretty common occurrence. Absurdity makes me sick: The Sun had a “Baby Monitor” and the Guardian had a live blog on the birth of this baby, without missing a single contraction Kate Middleton experienced. The Sun pushes it just a little more by calling itself “The Son” today. Please view, with some sort of eye protection: Money wasted on a child, is worse than money just wasted Bookies had their own celebration, with the money they made on what was inside Kate Middleton’s stomach. Hours after the Duchess of Cambridge went into labour, Ladbrokes took 50,000 bets on the name of the baby! Who knows, maybe the betting will continue for a few more days; this time, perhaps, on what the three-day-old baby’s favourite food is and, since he’s royal, it just cannot be plain milk. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="472"] Photo: Reuters[/caption] Betting agency Coral described it as the “biggest non-sporting betting event in the company’s history” and others took bets on the colour of the baby’s aunt’s clothes on her first visit. Every mother should protest, their baby is just as unpredictable as Kate Middleton’s. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="455"] Photo: Reuters[/caption] In fact, every baby can have an aunt that won’t tell the world what she’ll be wearing when she visits too. Babies are scared of guns - just FYI As per royal baby tradition, this child too shall subject the world to the sound of gunfire (in celebration). The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Honourable Artillery Company will both be carrying out ceremonial salutes in honour of the little one. I mean sure, we carry out ceremonial salutes at weddings and all, but not every time we see a child being born. We’d run out of bullets in Pakistan. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="451"] Photo: AFP[/caption] Not the only royalty There are ruling monarchs in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Jordon. And I can safely bet they have many babies too- but we don’t know them or care to know the colour of their socks. What makes this British Royalty so special? I forgave Britain for making Kate and William’s wedding an event for every eye on this planet, but now I may not be so generous. For example Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden got married in 2010, how many of us knew who made her dress? Or who chose the exact shade of pink of her cheek? That’s right, none of us. They should be offended; we commoners clearly discriminate and don’t consider all royalty important. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="420"] Photo: Reuters[/caption] I’m not alone I tried to talk myself out of all this baby hate I was spewing out, but then I found my family. https://twitter.com/hammads/status/359545492734091264 https://twitter.com/ABC/status/359516447736733696 https://twitter.com/imchriskelly/status/359493275171823617 This obsession would make complete sense if this was the Lion King, but no, I saw no Rafiki- and that makes this the real world. Read more by Manahyl here or follow her on Twitter @manahylk

As compared to Marvel’s well-oiled presentation at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC), the official announcement by filmmaker Zach Snyder for a sequel to Man of Steel seemed just a little hastily put together. In the end though, the lack of refinement mattered for little, as Snyder, in one nerdgasmic move, upstaged the rival company’s presentation on their sequel to the highest grossing superhero film of all time. That’s no mean feat, especially considering that Man of Steel (MoS) earned mixed reviews, and in terms of box office exposure, earned nearly a billion dollars less than The Avengers. As you may be aware, last weekend, Zach Snyder surprisingly took to the stage at SDCC, announcing a sequel to Man of Steel for 2015, quickly creating excitement amongst a packed audience. Here, when coming to the actual theme of the film, Snyder had the following passage read out by MoS actor Harry Lennix:

“I want you to remember, Clark [Kent - Superman’s earth name], in all the years to come… In your most private moments, I want you to remember my hand at your throat. I want you to remember the one man who beat you.”

“What the heck was that? There are no words, you guys…”

“Do you want me to ***** go trash your lights, orphans? You are trashing my scene!”

Reports circulated earlier this week about the dismal conditions Roohi Bano was currently living in. The former television actress was said to be residing without access to gas and power and there were widespread calls by television personalities and other members of the society, beseeching the government to interfere and provide adequate support. This was identical to the reaction witnessed, in the aftermath of similar reports originating a couple of months ago, regarding Munna Lahori, popularly known as Zakoota Jin, also of television fame. The bigger question that needs to be addressed here is that of state patronage for artists - who, when, why and should the government step in to support?    In the heydays: State patronage of artists in South Asia is synonymous with the Mughals. Some of the greatest contributors to literature from South Asia were taken care of by the court. Thus freed from the chain of concepts such as working to survive or being responsible for dependents, these writers, poets and historians produced a rich literary collection that we proudly call our heritage. However, it should be noted if the court had not provided sustenance, these artists, poets and historians would not have been adequately compensated which would have left our heritage substantially lighter- the 15^th to the 18^th century South Asian society did not have sufficient disposable income to indulge the extravagances of these artists. Therefore, it can be argued that in retrospect, the state stepping in was more of a necessity than the luxury it so overtly seems. Argument for state support: Calls for such state patronage invoke much debate today- those in favour of the state’s patronage of artists argue the importance of arts and culture to a society. In the cases of Roohi and Munna, their contributions to the television history of Pakistan are irreplaceable. Roohi became associated with the fledgling industry in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s while Munna immortalised Zakoota Jin for an entire generation of Pakistani’s growing up in the 1990’s. The legacy of these two stars is not in question- the issue seems to be whether these achievements warrant government support? Argument against state support: Critics of state patronage of artists disagree- a popular objection is that artists today cannot be compared those of the yesteryears because of the role money has come to play. Modern day artists are extremely well compensated - media rights, sponsorships, product endorsements and personal ventures, to name a few- and have created more wealth than ever. Thus, the critics argue, the onus of managing one’s own finances lies with the artist. Careful planning and a modest lifestyle in the heyday would ensure provision of funds long after the acting/writing/composing days are over. This is a sound, rational argument but contextualising it to Roohi and Munna does not do justice to either the argument or the actors. Both Roohi and Munna shot to fame due to their affiliation with shows on the Pakistan Television Corporation, a state run entity. Up until the early 2000’s, a career in the television industry was nowhere as lucrative as its bigger screen counterpart. Indeed, by all accounts, it was a mere pittance for the artists’ services. Thus, the compensation argument does not hold in this case. Would the argument still hold for artists launching their careers today? This question needs to be addressed separately. Pandora’s Box: Who all can the state support? Another important question that arises is the issue of whom to patron? So far, the case on our hands has been simplistic because both Roohi and Munna are popular, television stars. Increasing privatisation has resulted in a record number of productions starring Pakistanis, both home and abroad, in documentaries, television serials and movies. The news media has become an industry on its own while competitive sports has emerged as the country’s most popular form of entertainment. Our poetic and written traditions are still strong and have kept pace with the world whilst regularly compete for prestigious international awards. Defining patronage could be hazardous- over a long period of time, it has the ability to drive people to and from an industry. Patronage is often accompanied by inefficiency and while the artists from the days of the Mughals produced breathtaking works in different genres despite guaranteed sustenance, what they would have done under real competition remains speculative. What is the alternative to state support? A viable alternative often presented is that the state should recognise, and not necessarily patronise, artists. In theory, this presents the artists with a target to aspire towards without draining the resources of the state. However, as a nation, we have a poor track record of identifying our artists. N M Rashid, considered the father of progressive Urdu poetry, was laid to rest in England because he opted to be cremated rather than buried. His contributions were more than just literary - he served as Pakistan’s ambassador to the United Nations. Similarly, some of our most famous poets like Faiz and Jalib spent their better days in jail for voicing their opinions against the incumbent governments. While most of them went on to be recognised later on under different governments, questions can rightly be asked about whether such criticism would have reared its head under a system of state patronage? The arguments for and against state patronage are plenty. However, extreme care should be taken to not be dismissive of the unique problems faced by both Roohi and Munna. Roohi’s only son was shot dead in 2005 and her living conditions indicate that she needs support regardless of where it’s coming from; Munna suffered paralysis and any support would be a welcome gesture. The issue of state patronising artists is multi-faceted. Before we embroil ourselves in the debate, we must first address issues that plague us today. In a country where we constantly bemoan the lack of national assets, let us start by supporting the ones we already have.

As the clock strikes 6:00pm, we jump out of our beds from our two-hour long afternoon nap. It's time to get dressed; I choose an appropriate Rida from the colourful collection I possess and start to get ready for the masjid. Meanwhile, my dad irons his plain white Sayo Kurto - the same kind he wears every day.    I always wonder how boring it is for Bohra men to wear the same kind of Sayo Kurto to the masjid every time – no matter if it is a big occasion or just an ordinary day. At least, us, women have the liberty to choose from the variety of colours and floral patterns that are available to us. The latest trends of Ridas include vegetables and fruits, but to be quite honest, I am not interested in looking like a fruit basket or a freshly picked strawberry so, I'll just stick to my one coloured, standard attire. Anyway, I check my phone. To my horror, it's already 6:15pm, and we were still all over the place looking for matching Musallahs (prayer mat) and handbags to carry to the masjid! Finally, after a tug here for the pink Rida, and a fight there for a blue Mussallah, we have made it to the masjid on time. Right at the entrance  two little children dressed in the traditional crisp, white Sayo Kurto and hand woven white and golden topis, hand us pre-packaged Iftar; a ticky pack of biscuit and a khajoor (date.) Tucking this modest Iftar in my handbag, I walk to the first floor to take my prayer spot, right in front of the entrance and spread my Mussallah facing the Qiblah. My sister and I had inherited our prayer spots from our grandmother and her sister, and we switch alternatively. There is still a little time left for the azaan, so I take out my tasbeeh and start reciting a few short prayers that I know at the back of my hand. There are around 10 minutes left and people are still pouring in. Women in colourful Ridas, along with their young kids trudging along behind them, are seen hunting for their fixed prayer spots. Occasionally, there are even a few arguments among women for their prayer spots if they get less space to spread their Mussallahs or if they see someone else taking over the space that they have been praying at for years. These arguments usually only last a few minutes and when it's time for the Maghrib azaan, the women obediently squeeze in and start praying. Today is just like any other day. After the Maghrib prayers and a recitation of a few duas by the Amil Sahab, a few young lads in the traditional Bohra attire come in with crates full of hot teacups and serve everyone individually at their prayer spots. I take out the packet of biscuit and khajoor to break my fast, and return the cup to the boys who wait to fill in the crates with the empty teacups so they can make it back in time for their Isha prayers. The Isha prayers are followed by a short khutba by the Amil Sahab and right after this, we all rush to the Jamaat Khaana. Over there, we make a circle of at least eight people and get ready to be served our food in a huge thaal. Food for the Bohra community is essential for all kinds of gatherings. Every time there is a Bohra event in the masjid, there can hardly be a possibility of no food being served, and why should there even be such a possibility? We love food and it is evident through our customs and traditions! When it comes to talking about food, we have this unique way of seating ourselves and serving the food too. In case you are invited to a Bohra wedding in the coming days, here is a brief guide of your dos, don’ts and must-knows. Thaal manners: 1)  Make yourselves seated in a circle of at least eight people, as I stated above, or else one of the volunteers might yell at you for committing a major ‘don’t.’ 2) Second, once you get your thaal, taste a little salt first and then begin with your meal. And, you don’t just start eating whatever you like first, there is sequence to eating the food – you start with something sweet, then head for the savoury, then again something sweet (a bohra thaal usually has a pair of sweet dishes) and then lastly, go for the rice. 3) You can ask for extra servings of rice along with the curry or soup whatever is served alongside. Usually volunteers carry huge buckets of soup/curry to refill your bowls or hand over plates of rice according to how much you need. 4) Make sure you only order enough food for the whole thaal that can be easily consumed by its members. Wasting of food is loathed among the Bohra community. 5) Once you are done with your meal, you again taste a little salt to end your meal. Following this guide of thaal manners, I successfully finished my dinner. My meal included a jalebi and a small bowl of rice pudding for dessert, a plate of white karhai and biryani with clear soup for the savoury bit. I, along with my sister and mother quickly made my way out of the Jammat Khanna to wash my hands and head home. This was just a usual day in Ramazan. Sigh, how much I love this sweet month of blessings!

If the human body is an input-output system, that is, what you put in, you shall tuck out, why is being overweight such a pervading problem in Pakistan? Countless people, myself included, yo-yo between weight loss and weight gain throughout their adolescent lives. While policymakers look to Turkey for solutions to dispose of our waste, who in the health ministry is turning to solve our growing waist problem? With the government not budging on its ‘top priorities’, the problem and its remedial measures ‘wrest’ with the individual. I have been a victim of a lack of resources and care when it comes to weight loss here at home. Luckily, I was able to enact several positive changes and realise that weight loss is not impossible; it is possible with the right mindset and lifestyle. I lost 15 kilograms in the first three months. To date, I have a lost 23 kilos and gone from a 44-inch to a 36-inch waist size. I now run a Facebook group called Big Fat Losers to motivate others to lose weight, not their mind. Let’s take a look; what are some problems an average Joe encounters in the herculean task of losing weight? I am not fat, I am well-fed! While I am no statistician, I will take the risk of making a generalisation that for most Pakistanis, a bulky body is considered a sign of a khaata peeta gharana (a well-fed household). Being ‘healthy’ (overweight) is seen as a sign of fertility; case in point, our plump Punjabi actresses who attract every jumbo jatt out there. Of course, the bodacious booty/beauty is hard to miss; after all, her waist occupies its own zip code! Being overweight is the price one pays for living life to the fullest. These attitudes, pre-dominant in rural areas, also resonate in the streets, mohallahs and neighbourhoods of our cities. While access to health information is closer to richer households, so are fast food joints. It is definitely an epidemic that deserves attention. As I struggled to overcome this attitude, I realised something; I was not unhappy because I was fat; I was fat because I was unhappy. It was not before I took some time off to meditate and clear my mind that I realised that excess weight is a foe, not a friend. As my perception of weight loss changed, I was able to prioritise my health. So where can I find some weight loss strategies? Let’s agree that most of what we eat today, our grandparents won’t even recognise as food. The simpler, closer to nature foods have left us - whole grain has been replaced by processed white flour, and ghee by hydrogenated oil. Given the caloric value of our meals, people are becoming the perfect targets for heart attacks - target killing in the real sense of the word! Additionally, dietary information online does not cater to the South Asian diet. Neither does the public know about Kale, Quinoa and Chia seeds nor are they locally produced. What about our nutrition experts? Other than peddling unhelpful ‘diet plans’, their contribution to a discourse on healthy living is insignificant. Consequently, people diet temporarily before resigning themselves to their fate. After all, if God wanted us to be thin, mosquitoes would suck fat instead of blood right? From multinational giants to small dawakhanas (medicine stores), there are several self-proclaimed weight-loss experts confusing us even more.

“Ate too much? Missed a day at the gym? Have a cup of XYZ brand green tea!”

“How can I lose 10 pounds in 10 days?” “A double patty burger with extra cheese and a diet coke please. I am dieting you know!”

We have been eating sautéed, grilled or fried chicken liver with different spices for ages, now it’s time to try it in a different way. Yes the French way, in the form of a creamy, smooth delicately herb flavoured liver pâté. Chicken liver pâté is a high class spread prepared by combining chicken liver cooked with onions, garlic, butter/olive oil and a range of other flavours, herbs and then finely chopping or pureeing the mixed ingredients. The mixture is then refrigerated so it can develop its full taste in at least two to three days. It is usually used for appetisers, such as, a spread over crackers or toast and is often considered a high-class spread. The pâté can be kept for several weeks, refrigerated, or for months if covered with a layer of butter and stored in a freezer. It should preferably be stored in ramekins or bowls as per tradition. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Chicken Liver Pâté. Photo: Farah S Kamal[/caption] Moreover, there are many versions of the chicken liver pâté around the world. Its taste and ingredients vary with culture, cooking traditions, available ingredients and the target audience. Thus, there are hundreds of different recipes available to create that perfect bowl of chicken liver pâté. Here is my version using the locally available ingredients in Karachi. Warning: You might get hooked because it is simply that delicious! I have been using this spread on crackers, toasts, sandwiches and rusk.  My favourite is to spread it on a whole wheat multigrain toast, throw in a big stack of fresh green salad leaves and garnish it with sundried tomatoes and a few capers. Magic- I have a mouth watering, gourmet sandwich ready in a jiffy! [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Multigrain wholewheat sandwich filled with Chicken Liver Pate, sundried tomatoes and crispy lettuce. Photo: Farah S Kamal[/caption] Ingredients: -1/2 kg chicken liver (preferably light coloured) - One big onion chopped - 2 tbsp chopped or minced fresh garlic - 2 bay leaves (tez patta) - 3 tbsp olive oil/butter -250 gms- one packet of low/no fat milk, can use whole milk if not calorie conscious - 200gms of Danish feta/light cream/cream cheese -Thyme - A fresh bunch of dill (soya) -Fresh coarsely ground black pepper -Capers (optional) -Mustard powder -Salt to taste, omit if using feta Method: Step 1: Preparing - Trim all fats and connective tissues from the chicken liver, remove the heart, and chop liver in two-three pieces each. - In a steel/plastic bowl soak the liver in the milk for three-four hours. Step 2: Cooking - Heat butter/oil in a pan and lightly sauté the garlic and onions. -Add the chicken and cook for a few minutes, make sure it isn’t too brown or it will make the texture of the pâté coarse and hard instead of smooth and creamy. - Now add the milk and let it simmer for six-seven minutes. - Add mustard while it is still simmering. - Cook until soft and mushy. - Remove the pan from heat and let it cool for bit and remove bay leaves. - Now puree this mixture using a hand held electric blender or food processor. -Add cheese/cream, black pepper, capers, thyme while still blending. - Now fold in 1/4 cup chopped dill. - The final product should be a creamy smooth paste with green dill and coarsely chopped black peppers, and bits of other herbs showing.  Step 3: Storing - While it is still hot, use a spoon and place it in a small ramekin or a few small bowls and put it in the refrigerator. - Ideally cover the pâté with a layer of fat/butter; this increases the shelf life and gives it flavour. However, I don’t add butter just to avoid the added fat and it still tastes just as good! Bon appétit! This post originally appeared here

Disclaimer: Like the majority of those with ridiculously strong polarising opinions about Burka Avenger, I have yet to see the darned thing and haven’t the slightest clue what channel it’s on or when it airs; frankly, I grew out of the whole cartoon fad ages ago. Let me begin by asking how many of you really took their cartoons and comic super heroes seriously? If you attempted to jump off your roof in order to prove that you and Superman came from the same planet, please don’t bother to read any further. Right, okay, let me rephrase that question: how many of you took your superhero of choice’s dressing sense to heart? I, for one, don’t see many men wearing their chaddis (briefs) over their shalwars and dhotis or their tidy whites over spandex pyjamas or their LV briefs (as much as they’d like to show them off) over their dress pants. Any of you go around wearing masks and capes or trying to have radiation infested spiders/chicken bite you? No? Then maybe you catch my drift! How many of you ladies ended up wearing assorted amendments to single piece swimsuits to work? Aside from Veena (who is a comic superhero of sorts in her own right), how many of you bother to hang out in flashy, conical push-up bras? Right, let’s get some things straight. From a marketing perspective, we've seen what a superb initiative was taken by Huffington Post, talking about Burka Avenger and the impact it will have on society. It’s also managed to instigate a public debate corresponding to multiple layers of gender related issues both within and without Pakistan. Rarely has something captured the imaginations of the burgers and the biryanis, the Pakolas and the Coca Colas with such alacrity. Everyone has an uninformed opinion to offer (what you are reading is no different). To be fair, the bashing is primarily being done by the liberal fascists with insecurities intensified beyond comprehension. Considering ‘Meena’ and ‘Gogi’ aren’t exactly superheroes or household names (Pakistani comics with female leads), this is the first Pakistani venture featuring a female lead; hurrah for women’s empowerment! But how dare they make her don a burka? A body-clinging one at that - almost a burkini, as if these same people would oppose body hugging spandex inspired burkas all around them? Heck no! If anything, the Burka Avenger could herald in a new era of steady liberal infusion - full burka to shuttle cock burka to abaya to spandex burka. Surely a trend liberals could rejoice about, right? But no, until and unless Pakistan becomes a nudist colony, we are doomed to failure and must clearly be a backward state with 'fundo' tendencies. To such liberals: I salute your rationale, esteemed sirs, ladies and perverts. Captain Planet was a hit global cartoon (compared to the fledgling Burka Avenger) with a positive message. Perhaps it indirectly affected in producing environmentalists out of a lot of those that watched it. Did it make people wield rings of power? Did it cause multi-ethnic kids to run around FATA in tiny shorts? Last time I checked, that wasn’t the case. Blowing things out of proportion is a trait we should leave to the professionals - the local and international media. Instead let’s focus on how ‘The Arrivals’ will use Burka Avenger to prove how the Illuminati are subliminally enslaving us and take a chill pill. Now that’s entertainment.

The much awaited feasting time of the year has finally arrived! Congratulations to all of you brave people out there for being patient through Ramazan. Now, it’s time to let loose and give in to your cravings. While your Eid trolley may have the essential Eid items (sandwhiches, kababs, cake), there are always recipes you can try out that will impress your friends and family. Read on to see these dessert recipes that are sure to win you tonnes of praise from your loved ones.

Kulfa inspired, crunchy delight

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Coconut mithai: Chewy blocks of Pakistani candy goodness 

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Cardamom simply delicious drink:

Katoora Lake (also called Jaz Dand) is situated in the Lamoti Valley of Upper Dir, KPK at an altitude of 11,500 ft approximately. Most of the time, this lake is surrounded by high mountains covered with snow. The best season to visit it is August/September. However, June and July are also good months for a tour, if you are prepared for random monsoon showers. The level of difficulty for trekking in the area may be considered ‘moderate’ for regular trekkers/hikers. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Moderate weather, fresh air and stunning views - a winning combination. Photo: Murtaza Mahmud[/caption] Travel towards Jaz Dand actually starts when you reach Upper Dir – a location that can be reached from Islamabad within seven hours or the Swat Valley through Badgoi Pass. From Upper Dir, it takes almost five hours to reach the base camp in Jandrai (also pronounced as Zhandrai). At this point, one has to leave the road (as there is none!) and start trekking towards Jaz Banda. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] While trekking to Jaz Banda, one has to pass through dense forests. Deforestation rate is not so high in this part of valley, so trekking becomes a real experience. Photo: Murtaza Mahmud[/caption] It takes another five hours of trekking in dense forests to reach the destination. I would advise tourists to stay a night in Jaz Banda and then trek towards the lake - this will take you close to three hours. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] After trekking for almost 3 hours, you reach this place. We continued our journey towards the right side. Photo: Murtaza Mahmud[/caption] As far as accommodation is concerned, the best option is to set up camp, as my companions and I did. However, for those who are not comfortable with camping, there is one private rest house in Jandrai and one in Jaz Banda. These rest houses are owned and managed by Mr Raja Taj Muhammad. He is a renowned personality of the area and has been promoting tourism and serving visitors for more than 10 years now. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] These mountains are the main source of chilled and fresh spring water. Photo: Murtaza Mahmud[/caption] If I have to describe this place in one sentence, I would say ‘It is just amazing!’ [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Katoora Lake waterfall. Photo: Murtaza Mahmud[/caption] The serenity in the atmosphere puts pains and troubles out of your mind and puts you in a state of peace from where there is no return. One simply cannot forget the time spent there. We spent a night in Jaz Banda, trekking back the next day to continue our adventure through Kumrat Valley. Personally, I wish to just live here; streams of fresh, chilled water emanating from the lake, high snowy mountains, meadows spread over large expanses, the fresh and pure air – there are so many reasons why this place is absolutely beautiful. Here, you will find yourself closer to nature. For those who travel alone, this spot offers pleasant company – here, the clouds won’t leave you at any point. As for the lake itself, it takes your breath away for a moment, and then it recharges your mind with its freshness and glory. Just writing about it has me wishing I could go back! [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Situated at an altitude of 11,500 ft approximately, it seems like the colour of this lake changes with the weather conditions. Photo: Murtaza Mahmud[/caption] Of course, we cannot possibly overlook the terrific hospitality shown by the local community of the area. People here are simple, kind and hospitable. Mr Raja Taj Muhammad, the owner of the rest houses mentioned above, is a prime example. We were so impressed by his hospitality that we recorded an interview with him, requesting him to brief us about this place and shed light on the area’s security situation. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11tcpt#.UezTSNKbdnM [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Our group and some locals, with Chimrain Cottage in the background. Photo: Murtaza Mahmud[/caption] During our trek, we met many people who offered us a cup of tea, extending a hand of friendship in their own hospitable way. These people are pursuing a very simple life and eat plain yet healthy food. In pure economical terms, their cost of living is very low. One can guess their general political views via flags and banners of various political parties. These people are self sufficient and this is evident from small irrigation channels and small-scale electricity generation facilities. I personally feel that a better infrastructure would bring more prosperity to the area and make life easier for these people. They have great respect for their customs and traditions. As a general rule, it becomes the responsibility of travellers to get familiar with and show respect for these local community manners. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300"] This man requested us to take his picture with his buffalo. I cannot forget his gestures of joy when he saw his photos. Photo: Murtaza Mahmud[/caption] A special plea to my photographer community - pack your bags and visit this place as soon as you can. It is a brilliant opportunity for your work and can indeed bring you fame through the eye of your gear. As for general adventure-fans, trekkers and travellers, Katoora Lake is an ideal spot for you to explore for your next vacation. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11wskt_katoora-lake_travel Follow Murtaza on Twitter @murtazamahmud

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Set against striking  Japanese backdrops, with action and strong performances, The Wolverine claws you in from the first reel. The latest instalment in the X-Men film series is a must watch. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xyj33w_the-wolverine-trailer-hugh-jackman_shortfilms The film centers on Logan’s aka The Wolverine (Hugh Jackman)’s, struggle to come to terms with the burden of immortality and the loss of Jean Grey. The opening scene is set in 1945 near Nagasaki, where Logan is held in a POW camp, with B-29s flying overhead to deliver the atomic bomb. During the atomic explosion, he saves the life of one his captors, a soldier named Yashida. In the mayhem Yashida learns of Logan’s self-healing abilities. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="607"] Photo: Publicity[/caption] The movie fast-forwards several decades, with Logan now living as a hermit, haunted by nightmares of his true love, Jean (Famke Janssen) whom he was forced to kill (back in X-Men: The Last Stand). The red headed mutant Yukio (Rila Fukushima) tracks him down here to inform him that the man whose life he once saved back in the prison camp, Yashida (Haruhiko Yamanouchi), is lying on his deathbed and wishes to repay his life debt. This offer from the dying industrialist comes with a small twist in that he wishes to strip Logan of his healing abilities to save his own life, thus ending the weight of immortality that Logan has been struggling with. The plot accelerates with Logan having to deal with a host of issues such as his blossoming love for Yashida’s granddaughter Mariko (Tao Okamoto), a Yakuza conspiracy, the plot of an evil mutant named Viper (Svetlana Khodchenkova), and his loss of instantaneous healing powers; all this while he is still struggling with his inner demons. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] Photo: Publicity[/caption] This instalment succeeds in the way it portrays a different, more human Wolverine - one that at some deeper level we more easily can connect with. Him, being plagued by the memory of Jean, his ambivalence to live or die and his newly found fear of death are existential themes explored through the movie between the high octane action sequences. Logan is both emotionally and physically vulnerable and therefore much more interesting than the slice-and-dice hunk we are used to. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] Photo: Publicity[/caption] Hugh Jackman, reprising the role, yet again delivers a very powerful performance as The Wolverine. Not only does he embody the mutant’s I-don’t-give-a-damn persona, but also effectively captures the inner conflicts of human nature. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="546"] Photo: Publicity[/caption] Both Tao Okamoto and Rila Fukushima deliver strong performances as Mariko and Yukio respectively. Yukio is a particularly interesting character that feels real and energetic, makes a mark. The same cannot be said for Svetlana Khodchenkova as Viper, who gives an over-the-top yet unmemorable performance as one of the film’s primary antagonists. As any decent superhero movie should, The Wolverine delivers an abundance of brilliantly executed action sequences, with fights involving the Yakuza, ninjas and samurai warriors. One breathtaking sequence takes place atop one of Tokyo’s famed bullet trains speeding along at 300 mph. A cliché is here transformed into a spectacle worthy of loud applause. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] Photo: Publicity[/caption] Against the backdrop of a stunning Japanese setting, with sprawling urban city shots neatly contrasting the tranquility of the countryside, director James Mangold forces us to explore the concept of contrast/duality – hectic modernity versus Arcadian serenity; the desire for supernatural immortality versus a longing for human fatality; the lonely struggle of a soldier versus the need for companionship. While these themes may get lost in the speed and the action of the film, their essence is eloquently captured. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x103b7s_the-wolverine-trailer-exclusive_shortfilms By offering a new perspective on everyone’s favourite clawed mutant, The Wolverine has not only managed to impress but may also have claimed that the accolade is the best superhero film of the summer. Fast-paced action sequences as well as solid performances will rivet you to your seat and at the end leave you gasping for more. So get your large popcorn, 3-D glasses, sit back, and enjoy the ride!