*Latest LOLLYWOOD News-Showbiz, Articles* - Page 37

Adeel Hashmi

An offspring of a creative family, Adeel Hashmi has carved his own space in the media industry in Pakistan. He is a talented director, actor, and creative producer behind several TV shows, documentaries, and commercials.

Adeel's productions are considered to be "hutt ke", or atypical of the usual commercial formula productions that have become the norm on South Asian TV channels.

In an exclusive Rendezvous with The Saturday Post, Adeel shares stories about his own life as well as his views on the state of media in Pakistan. Read on to learn more about this talented man!

Q1 - Tell us a little bit about where you grew up, education and family?

I grew up in an old part of Lahore called Model Town. Model Town was designed by the British is the early 1920s. If you go to google earth and find Model Town, you'll know why it is perhaps the best designed residential area in the country even today.

There were old and big houses, with tall trees in every garden, everyone knew everyone else. All the neighbors' kids were our best pals. We grew up among two dozen friends of all ages. We played cricket, hockey, football, stone fighting, hide and seek, water fights, dark room, cards, monopoly, God knows what not. It was a dream childhood. Looking at kids today, it seems like I grew up in a dream. Yes, it was a dream childhood. Those were innocent times. There were hardly any cars. I don't remember if our main gate was ever locked, even at night. Nobody felt the need. We didn't even have walls around the houses, we only had bushes. It says so much about those times.

After finishing school in Model Town, I went to Government College Lahore like all my other family members. After my graduation I did my MBA from Imperial College, then a few years later MFA in filmmaking from Academy of Art University, San Francisco.

My mother worked for the Pakistan Television for 40 years. She's retired recently and still continues a prestigious career in the media, traveling, lecturing, chairing international conferences etc. My father is a practicing psychologist, and my brother is a psychiatrist and lives and works for a big hospital in Arkansas, USA .

Q2 - You belong to a very talented family, all linked with the media, arts and education. How did it feel to grow up in such a rich and competitive environment? Did being in the media come naturally to you?

It wasn't such a rich and competitive environment for me. I always felt my peers and friends found it so. I grew up watching rehearsals, singing songs, acting in plays, for me, it was always the line that I'd choose not because I was good or bad at it, but because I couldn't do anything else. I did try my hand at business and marketing before deciding to put an end to that nonsense and taking up writing, directing and acting, something that came to me much more naturally. I always felt totally at home doing media work. I also composed songs, wrote scripts, acted, directed, hosted shows etc.

I didn't have much of a choice. I only got to choose when to take my first step. The path, had already been decided for me by the Supreme Commander. If I had a thousand lives, I'd do exactly what I've been doing. God has been too kind.

Q3 - Tell us about your film direction career; what inspired this interest and what kind of films are you most interested in making?

There is really not an event that inspires you to choose a path. It's a combination of factors. The pressure keeps building up until one day, you explode like a volcano. That's what happened with me. I grew up watching Amitabh Bachchan's movies, James Bond movies. And I couldn't for the life of me think of a reason why anyone would want to do anything OTHER than making movies. At the time I was also a child star who would come on television and advertisements etc. And people thought I was good. In politeness, I never disagreed! It was much later that I knew I had to study filmmaking in order to make films. The kind of films that I like are the ones which stay with you. You take them home with you from the movie theatre. They bring out your good side. They move you. They make you think. They make you laugh and cry. They are your friends. Your intangible friends.

Q4 - What are some of your personal strengths that set you apart as a director?

Thats' really not for me to decide. I think perhaps my sensitivity, and a little bit of wit. I admit that I am a deeply emotional person whether I'm working or not. I get attached with my team and my work. I have cried more times than I'd like to admit during work just because something came off beautifully. And vice versa.

I am also very careful with my actors. I know they're treading a fine line. I have to give them their balance. If they trip, everything will fall. All actors like that. They want an understanding director. I am more of a 'human element' director. If the actors don't act, but they actually 'become' then I have the audience. I think that is a great strength.

Q5 - What are the biggest challenges for young, independent film makers like you? Is it funds, subjects, distribution, or something else?

Funds yes. Distribution yes. Also the infra-structure and the movie culture is non existent in Pakistan. We have no technically trained people to work behind the camera, no studios facilities, no makeup artists, no wardrobe people, no art directors; we can even hardly find extras for our films. All of this adds up when you make a film. You start taking out one thing at a time, and by the time you finish your film, it looks like a Pakistani film. This can't change overnight but it surely can start overnight, and I think it has.

Q6 - What is your opinion of the state of the Pakistani film industry (commercial cinema)? What are young film makers doing to improve the standards?

If we produce 20 films a year and the total annual revenue is less than the budget of one mainstream Indian film then we shouldn't be calling it Pakistani film 'industry'. Its not an easy thing to admit. But it's the truth. Our industry died years ago. We have a habit of wearing our past laurels on our heads as a crown. May it be Imran Khan's world cup, Jehangir Khan's squash record, Pakistan Television's old dramas or our Muslim rulers 10 centuries ago. No one wants to know what is happening TODAY. I think the film industry has to be reinvented from scratch. And a lot of work has to be done. I think the first step has been taken. Some new people have come in to make films. This year some new cineplexes are also being constructed. Competitive filmmakers who make advertisements are planning films. Film schools have been setup. New television channels have trained young minds. Many of them would eventually want to do films. The change is slow, but it's on its way.

Q7 - You have also done some acting as well, why did you decide to discontinue that career?

Same reason I took up direction. I felt the directors I worked with not only lacked sensitivity and technical skill but also their understanding of actors was very poor. An actor is the director's main ally and the most important weapon. You better know how to use it to get maximum results. I decided to use that weapon myself, so I stepped behind the camera. But I didn't discontinue my acting completely. You'll see me very shortly.

Q8 - What do you like to do when you are not making films? Any other projects or ventures you'd like to tell us about?

I have just finished a series for Geo that should be launched in May this year called Kotthi Number 156.

I also produce a weekly program on weddings and designs called Saj Dhaj.

I am, these days, involved in designing and producing another talk show that I may host called 'ICONS'.

I am also writing a film that I plan to get involved in later this year.

Recently, I assisted Mr. Shoaib Mansoor in his forthcoming maiden film venture called Khuda Kay Liyay. I consider Shoaib Mansoor to be the greatest visionary director in Pakistan.

Whenever I get a little bit of time I make advertisements and documentaries to keep learning new things.

Q9 - What words of encouragement would you give to the young people who want to become film directors like you?

Passion. That's all that matters. Go for it.

Q10 - Lastly what message would you like to convey to our readers?

Success is to be able laugh loudly…and frequently. Make yourself and everyone around you a success!

Abbas Aly Khan is a popular singer and musician in Pakistan. He also has his own animation studio by the name of Mystic Media.

Born in Karachi, Abbas was raised primarily in Pakistan. He is the great grandson of Pakistan's first Prime Minister Liaqat Ali Khan, but has chosen creative media and music as his field instead of politics. We can't say what he would have been like as a politician, but we can certainly say that he is an extremely talented singer and musician.

In an exclusive Rendezvous with The Saturday Post, Abbas talks about himself, his music, and more...

1. Let's start with getting to know you as a person…what would you like to tell our readers about your family, where you grew up, schooling, etc.?

Well as a person I am very docile and unsocial, don't have many friends; I like to be alone most of the time. I have an elder brother and a younger sister; I'm married and have a daughter who is just two months old. I was born in Karachi and grew up in Islamabad.

2. When did you start your professional music career and what was your biggest inspiration to enter this field?

I have been in the industry for the last 10 years now; struggling, playing with different underground bands as a keyboardist. My biggest inspiration has always been the great R.D. Burman. I also look up to Adnan Sami Khan when it comes to soulful compositions and intelligent arrangement.

3. You have an amazing voice – have you had professional training or is this a natural gift?

I have taken professional training in eastern classical music vocals and ragas from Ustad Fateh Ali Khan of the famous Patiala Gharana.

4. What made you decide to go solo, rather than form a band? Do you feel like you made the right decision or would you consider teaming up with other musicians in the future?

I think I made the right decision. It's really hard to find people who all think alike musically and if you are lucky enough to find them, their priorities are different! I have played with a lot of bands as a keyboardist but bands tend to breakup and all the input you have given goes down the drain; you have to take a new start every time. For me solo works! However I have a lot of talented musician friends who help me with different things, such as Ahsan who also plays guitars in an upcoming band called "Siege"; Sarmad Ghafoor of "Rungg"; and Asad Kamal, etc. I would love to team up with anybody who is talented but not under a band name; it will rather be a project.

5. Who does the musical composition and lyric writing for you? Is it all you?

Yes, it's mostly me; not because I want to take credit for everything, but I feel lyrically only I can explain what's inside me or somebody who knows me really well. Like my mother, who also writes for me. On the current album I have composed eight songs: "Sun Re" is my Ustaad's composition and Na Jane Kyun is Ahsan of "Siege".

6. Your album "Humsafar" did not have as much hype as "Sun Re". What made the difference?

I think Humsafar was a great album how ever it didn't really get to the listeners properly because of the bad distribution and promotion. So I uploaded the songs on different websites and got great response from people.

7. Your videos for songs from Sun Re have been admired a lot. Were these your own concepts and productions?

It was Shehryar Hydri's concept who directed the video. Shehryar also worked with me at the animation house that I'm running, so we mutually developed the theme. We always wanted to do something on clowns and Sun Re was the perfect song. Later on Tariq Amin also gave a lot of input in the concept.

8. Why isn't the unplugged version of Aa Zara longer? You've sung it beautifully and frankly, we like it even more than the full version. Any chance you'd do an unplugged version of the full song?

The idea of Aa Zara unplugged wasn't really there in the beginning. When the album was about to go into print, the guys from my label told me that we have some space left on the tape that needs to be filled. I was in Karachi at that time so I went to a studio with Ahsan and recorded a small unplugged piece for Aa Zara along with him. The whole session went on for only half and hour. Yes I also feel that it came out really nice. Better than the original version?? Well that's subject to what kind of music one is into, but the unplugged is surely more intimate. I will surely complete it and also do a video for it.

9. What are your hobbies and interests other than music?

My daily work is my hobby too. I'm into animation: motion graphics and visual effects. I have my own animation house by the name of Mystic Media (www.mystic-media.tv)

10. Is there any charitable cause or social issue that is really close to your heart, which you would like your fans to think about?

I would love do something for children who need help in anyway, but don't want to exploit it in order to gain fame like many others are doing. Whatever I do will be silent.

11. Can we hope to see you in the US or Canada any time soon?

I can't say when but Insha Allah very soon.

12. Any message for your fans reading this interview on The Saturday Post?

Thank you for this interview! Respect good music, respect people who have worked hard in this field and KILL piracy, because it kills the artist!

Interview by Behjat Tahir

Faisal Qureshi is a TV producer, director, and actor, best known for his comedy series "Ulta Seedha" - a collection of satire and parodies on a wide range of current topics.

Faisal's on-screen talent is only rivaled by his behind the scenes imagination, which he is using to bring TV audiences many enjoyable and memorable programs. He is a graduate of the National College of Arts, and is fully applying his creative education to many different avenues, including designing.

In an exclusive Rendezvous with The Saturday Post's correspondent, Behjat Tahir, Faisal shows us what it is like to take life seriously and lightly, all at the same time.

Let's see if you can tell where he's joking and where he's being dead serious...enjoy the interview!

1. Let's start with getting to know you – tell us a bit about where you grew up and your family…

My parents accidentally left me in the Amazon Jungle on a safari trip whereafter I was brought up by mama bear and baba bear. I found my way to civilization (or lack thereof) somewhere in the late 17th century...the animal instincts still haven't left me! Well, on a serious note (if you really want to know), I was born in Hyderabad, attended public school, am the youngest of six siblings, and therefore the most spoilt and pampered in the family!

2. How did you get into acting?

ACCIDENTALLY!!!! It was a bad stormy night, very dark and chilly with not a person or animal in sight. I was walking merrily down to the karyana store when suddenly this huge truck hit me out of nowhere. When I came to, I was in a permanent state of amnesia. That fatal accident changed my life forever and the audience's too! National College of Arts was my first step towards acting though personally I never wanted to act. Started out as a writer and concept-maker and still enjoy being behind the scenes more!

3. What factors have played an important role in making you a star?

Nothing much - couple of fractures, one broken leg and a bump to the head. Waisay, thanks for calling ME a STAR...sounds cool (laughs).

4. How has being married changed you as an actor and as a person?

Tremendously! My dramatic (acting) skills have improved with each passing day after getting married.

5. What are your inspirations? What motivates you as an actor, writer, director, and all the different roles you play?

Food is my biggest motivation and, you can say, inspiration too! When we don't have food to eat at home, it makes me act and work really hard. As a writer, I like touching upon serious issues but with satire; as an actor my motivation begins when no one else shows up at the last second for my shoots and I jump in as a last resort to fill up the slot!

6. What are some of the good and bad experiences you'd like to share with our readers?

I guess going to NCA was a great experience…I made good friends for life. And the bad experience is that I got married to one!

7. Acting , writing , producing, designing....out of all these which one do you prefer more and why?

Cooking…because the end result is worth it and more fulfilling!

8. What do you think of Pakistani media in general ?

No idea! My commitments with Hollywood leave no time for me to look at our own media...but I've heard that Pakistani media is growing very fast which I think is good (for the media not for the audience!) It still has a long way to go and if I'm around longer then maybe there's hope for it to reach Hollywood standards!

9. How do you compare Pakistani talent with other countries?

Aaahhh, Pakistani talent...you find the best and most efficient thugs and muggers here…none can beat their talent all over the world! Oh, you mean the likes of Meera and all? What can I say! Such talent is hard to find even in our own country let alone the rest of the world!!! "No one can beat just one" like the famous ad jingle goes...

10. What do you think about Pakistani talent going to India?

All I know is that India is a nice place to visit and my friends tell me that partying away from home has its own charms...if you know what I mean! Crossing the borders is now much cheaper thanks to our Khan Coaches and Bus Service, which is way easier on the pockets of our poor actors and singers!

11. If you were not in media, what profession would you have chosen?

Ummmm…if not an actor I would have been a politician then because there I could have used my acting skills properly!

12. Tell us about your future projects. What are you planning to contribute to the Pakistani media next?

Two minor projects are in the making. They will Insha Allah become major projects. Whether these projects will enter media, I don't know. They are my twin daughters! Rather minor projects, 4 pounds each, but soon they will be big. That is my contribution, not to the media of Pakistan, but to the population of Pakistan.

Arjumand is a talented TV and stage artist, with equal dedication to on and off screen work. She is a film maker as well as actor, with a passion for creating imaginative and original works that viewers and critics alike can enjoy.

In an exclusive Rendezvous with The Saturday Post, Arjumand talks about her acting career, film making, Pakistani film and TV, and more...

How would you introduce yourself to our readers – as a person as well as a media professional?

Well, I am a curious person and fairly open to new experiences and situations. I enjoy traveling and meeting new people and yet, I also have a strong homing instinct and enjoy being with my mother and dogs at home when I am not working. As a media person, I'd describe myself as lucky and someone who's consistently happened to be at the right place at the right time. I've been fortunate enough to partake of opportunities that came my way without too much active pursuit. I think that's also why my sense of humor is available to me in the workplace and it's perhaps easier for me to continue taking risks and thinking out of the box.

When did you start your acting career and what was the inspiration?

I started acting in 1995 with an Urdu theatre production. The positive feedback I received encouraged me to believe in myself and follow my heart despite the pressure of getting into an unstable profession. The inspiration was always there since acting is something I'd been doing all my life, throughout school and college. Theatre is still my first love and the medium I prefer over television but it's TV that's given me financial stability and allowed me to stick to my career choice in terms of acceptability and popularity.

Which of your acting projects do you like the most and why?

As I mentioned earlier, it's theatre and therefore stage plays that have given me the most satisfaction intrinsically. I particularly enjoyed playing 'Corrie Bratter' in "Barefoot in the Park" which was a play we staged in 1997. This was a Karachi Drama Circle Production. Another memorable project is a tele-film titled "Neeli Dhoop" which aired on PTV World in 1998. It was Bushra Ansari's first TV script and directed by her husband Iqbal Ansari. Neeli Dhoop was an emotionally charged experience and drove me to dig deeper within myself to discover real pain. I enjoyed the project as it challenged my skills and I got to work with a very exacting director.

You are also involved with film production – what can you tell us about your focus and interests in this area?

Film is an area I am not only passionate about but also trained in, and therefore one of the few trained professionals in Pakistan. It's a large and effective canvas with tremendous power and impact when used aptly. So far, owing to restricted budgets I've only worked on the digital format in Pakistan but tried to work with subjects most producers wouldn't touch due to their sensitive nature or lack of financial viability. I, however, believe that if you are honest and make a good film it'll sell despite its pre-supposed outcome. There will always be a market for truth; one just must have the guts to tell it. With my first film "Shahrukh Khan Ki Maut", we've already had showings to packed audiences during the Kara Film Festival in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. Recently the film was entered in the 3rd Eye South Asian Film Festival in Bombay and now it's also going to be screened at the upcoming Dubai International Film Festival in December 2006. Our second film is going to be world premiered in Kara this year. There are definite plans to cross over into the international market with our indigenous stories as I feel the international world is interested in our region. It is our responsibility now to show them what our country and people are about.

As an actor, what type of roles do you want to play?

Anything that's well thought out and mapped with sensitivity and care. Anything that's evocative. As an actor, it's my job to bring the writer's imagination to life.

You spent some time in Bollywood, working on a couple of film projects. How was the experience?

Well, it's true that I signed two films during my stint in Bombay but due to different reasons I couldn't complete either project. Upon hindsight, I am glad it didn't work out and my decisions, which seemed rash at the time, make a lot of sense today and have swung in my favor! I did act in theatre while I was there and my experience was wonderful. I found the process more professional, and the people more committed to their chosen professions.

What do you think of the Pakistani film industry? What is holding us back from producing films of international standards?

Education. Lack of it. That's what's holding us back. If the powers that be were more aware and read about the transitions internationally, we wouldn't be where we are today. Our commercial film industry is in the hands of petty minded small time thinkers and financers who don't have the ability to see a market beyond Pakistan.

What about Pakistani TV – we ourselves feel somewhat disappointed by the recent trend to follow a soap format, as opposed to the true "dramas" of the 70s and 80s. Are you satisfied with the quality and appeal of TV serials?

I agree that our standards have declined. But it's also not all bad either. The thing is we have far more choices today than the 70's and 80's which has raised the bar. Currently, with the plethora of independent channels available, we are going through a transition. There is some great work happening too but it goes by unnoticed or doesn't generate the hype it would have had it been aired 15 years ago. In a matter of 5 years from now a lot of sifting will have happened and I expect that Pakistan will emerge in the media in a much bigger way.

What are some of your most favorite and least favorite things in the world?

Favorites: My mother, my dogs Lyla and Samson, winter in Karachi, the beach, long walks with close friends, lazy Sundays, a great soul satisfying book…

Least Favorites: traffic jams in Karachi, bad driving on the roads, rampant foul language and raised voices, dishonesty in any form (lying, cheating etc.)

Any message for your fans reading this interview on The Saturday Post?

Do remain positive about Pakistan. It's still a country with immense potential waiting to be realized. It's also a fertile virgin territory to sow new seeds and plant new things unlike saturated economies in the West. Be proud of your identity and try to think of each of yourselves as an ambassador inspiring respect and admiration for where you originally come from. I for one, at least try.

For 16 years, the music of Strings, one of the most popular duos in the Pakistani pop music industry, has struck a high note for listeners.

Inspite of an 8 year hiatus from their existence as Strings, their songs like "Sar Kiye Yeh Pahaar" stayed on listeners' minds and with their comeback in year 2000 with "Dur", Strings has captured the top of the charts with one hit after another.

The Saturday Post met with Strings in Washington DC, during their recent US tour, dubbed the "Zinda Tour" to celebrate their latest hit "Yeh Hai Meri Kahani" from the Sanjay Gupta film starring Sanjay Dutt and John Abraham.

Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood are among the nicest people we have had a chance to interview. They are soft spoken, articulate, intellectual, humble, and really funny.

Let us not keep you any more from reading our exclusive Rendezvous with Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood, aka Strings...

What is the story of Strings…how did it all begin?

Bilal: It goes back to 1989. We met in college. We realized we both really liked music. Faisal knew Rafeeq and Kareem, who were a part of the initial line-up. We started by jamming together. It was a time when there was a boom in the pop music industry in Pakistan; a lot of bands were being formed. Strings was one of those bands. We started with some TV shows and then went on from there.

Strings released their first album in 1990

The big break for Strings was the song "Sar Kiye Yeh Pahaar" in 1992

From 1992-2000, Faisal and Bilal took a break from Strings

In 2000, they came back and released the hit single "Duur" followed by the album "Duur" in 2002

The next big release was "Dhaani" in 2004, from which "Naa Jaanay Kyon" became part of the official soundtrack of Spiderman 2's release in India

The latest buzz created by Strings is with the song "Yeh Hai Meri Kahaani" from the soundtrack of Sanjay Gupta's movie "Zinda"

You can listen to all of Strings' songs on www.stringsonline.net

Bilal: We knew that eventually we will go back to our music. The break was mainly to complete our education. In 2000 after we released Duur, we had no option but to do it full time. It was quite an effort to revive the band and Faisal's thinking was that we have to burn all our boats and do this full time. So Faisal left his business, I left my job, which was a big decision for us and our wives as well. When life is going well and you make such a drastic move, "kay music full time karna hai", it is quite difficult.

(In the 8-year hiatus from Strings, Bilal was working for an ad agency and Faisal was working with his father's business).

Bilal: Even we didn't know how much we would have to travel. We didn't realize how big the market had grown. Every day it is growing. The media boom on the internet has taken the market by storm. Pakistani music has reached everywhere. India has suddenly become the biggest market for Pakistani music. We spend as much time in Bombay as we do in Karachi. But it's great. Our families have gotten used to it. They also travel with us whenever there's an opportunity. Plus, it's not a 9-5 job, so when we are with them in Karachi, we are at home all day! So we get to spend that quality time with them; in fact maybe it gets to be a bit too much for them (laughs).

Zinda was an ideal project. The team and cast were great. Plus the storyline was such that it almost called out for Strings' music. So it went off very well and everyone was really happy about it; the song's been a great success.

Bilal: I think the video did the trick. In a lot of songs, you see that the star cast gets a lot of coverage but the singers make a short appearance, if any. The way Sanjay Gupta did it, Strings, Sanjay Dutt, and John Abraham were all really well mixed and given equal airtime. It just ended up giving the song a lot of prominence and importance, which was just amazing.

When we met him he told us that he'd been a big fan of our music since the very first songs we released in India. He had always wanted to get us to do a song for one of his movies, but he said that none of the movies he had made up to Zinda had the right place for a song by Strings. When he conceived Zinda, he knew he wanted us to do a song.

Faisal: They are all extremely professional. Sanjay Gupta knew exactly what he wanted to do with the video and when, so from a work standpoint, it was all very high standard. But the really great thing about working with them was that they are really good hearted people. They are all very nice and down to earth. Sanjay Dutt and John Abraham never make you feel like they are such big stars and you're working with them. It's become a really good friendship, actually.

Bilal: Usually one does projects and moves on, but here we are 8-9 months after the song was shot and we are still in constant touch. Every time we go to Bombay, we have to have dinner at Sanjay Dutt's house, just like you would be invited to a close friend's house. Then we recently heard that while touring the US for his Rock Stars show, John Abraham was promoting our concert tour to his audience by making an on-stage announcement. As for Sanjay Gupta, once the project was done, he took us to Goa for a 3-day vacation. He didn't really need to do that, because once the work is done, it's done. So what we were really taken by was not just the professionalism but the warmth and friendship that they've extended to us and we really value that the most in this whole experience.

Was the song "Yeh Hai Meri Kahani" written and composed specifically for Zinda??

Bilal: Yes. Sanjay Gupta narrated the whole story to us in our first meeting. When we came back to Karachi, we narrated the same story to my father (Anwar Maqsood). And if you look at the movie and hear the song, it's one and the same.

Faisal: The way Sanjay Gupta narrated the story was so strong that we've never witnessed that in any other project. He knew each and every one of the scenes, the camera angles, zoom ins and zoom outs, etc. It was just fascinating.

Bilal: We first did the music; that's how it always works. We first do the music and then the lyrics. It took me about fifteen minutes to do the chorus (Chubhtay kaante yaadon kay..). I was really inspired by the story and it just came very quickly. The song was maybe done in 4-5 days. But the whole project with the final version and the video took between one and two months. In fact, when I sent the rough cut to Sanjay Gupta, and then sent him the final one, he said "woh pehlay wala zyada acha tha!" (laughs). He had grown accustomed to hearing the rough cut while shooting, so when he got the final one it was just different.

What about the next album - when is it coming out and will we hear more of the traditional Strings music or something different and darker?

Bilal: The way it's coming up, it's very different. It's definitely more along the darker lines. But it will take time. We have not been getting enough time to focus on it. But we are hoping that it will be done by January or February of 2007.

Faisal: We are doing songs for a couple of Indian films. There's a UNICEF project we are working on. For UNICEF, they basically rely on us to create awareness about HIV/AIDS. We are the Pakistani Ambassadors for UNICEF's AIDS/HIV awareness program. We do workshops for homeless or street children, who don't have any guardians or responsible adults to educate them about these issues. Plus we go to schools and colleges to start talking about this subject, because people aren't very open about it. So we want to encourage dialog and discussion of this topic, behaving nicely with AIDS/HIV patients and their families, e.g. children who have lost a parent to HIV/AIDS should not face any negative attitudes. We will be doing concerts and a special video on this topic.

Strings are the UN Goodwill Ambassadors for HIV/AIDS in Pakistan

Bilal: They are receptive. It is really difficult to talk about these issues but if you use the right language and talk about it maturely, people are very responsive and receptive to this discussion. There's a lot of ignorance about this topic, especially in rural areas. They would have no idea if someone is dying of AIDS in front of them. But we have to be careful and we are given guidance on what kind of language to use so it's not offensive to people.

Faisal: It also helps that we are not asking for donations. We have no monetary interest in talking to them and it's just about discussing the problems and issues associated with identifying and coping with HIV/AIDS. We've gone to educational institutes for women and talked to them. We've gone to schools and talked to children. You just have to handle it maturely.

Faisal: You have to be careful with how many and what kind of concerts you do. Like we prefer not to perform for smaller audiences except if we really feel like entertaining a specific segment of our fans. Plus, we don't want over exposure either.

All about Faisal...

Born June 29, 1971

Married? Yes. Wife's name is Seema. "I met her 18 years ago when I was in college. She lived in the same apartment complex as us. That's how we met, and we got married 8 years ago."

Children? "Two boys, 6 and 2. I thoroughly enjoy spending time with them. I used to have a huge circle of friends and play cricket and video games with them. But now, my time is mostly spent with my kids."

Parents and siblings? Faisal's late father was the one who nudged him towards music. "He bought me a harmonium and appointed a music teacher for me when I was younger. He passed away in 1995, but I'm really glad he saw the first phase of Strings. Ammi passed away 3 years ago, while we were actually on a tour of the US. So she actually saw the second phase. They were both really supportive of our music." Faisal has three brothers and one sister, all of whom have lived in the US for the last 20-25 years.

All about Bilal...

Born March 23

Married? Yes. Wife's name is Tina. " We met at Indus Valley (school of art), we were studying there together." What fans may not know is that Tina figures in almost all of Bilal's compositions..."I've composed a lot of songs for her like Sar Kiye Yeh Pahaar, Aaj Din Bhar Bekaar Tha. If you look at the video for Sar Kiye Yeh Pahaar, there's some sea shells in them. I had brought those sea shells from Tina because she used to see sea shells in her dreams. She didn't know then that I was shooting a video. In almost all of my songs, there's something about her or for her." Then Bilal adds with a smile, "It's not a junoon like it was before, but there's still some little touches."

Children? "Three kids, Mikail 8, Khizer 6, Zehra 3. They really don't care about my music (laughs). They consider it my office work. I'm not a celebrity for them!"

Parents and siblings? Bilal is famous TV playwright and author Anwar Maqsood's son. "I'm very close to him. He's been my best friend as long as I can remember. Right from school days when I remember him hurriedly polishing our shoes in the morning, helping us get ready, or making us breakfast. My friends and I played cricket with him." Bilal has one younger sister, who is married.
"She'd also taken classical music lessons, but didn't pursue it as a serious interest or career."

Jal's song "Aadat" first hit the airwaves a couple of years ago; it started at a party where Gohar, the founder of Jal sang the song to friends at a party. He then put the song on the internet, starting what became a big trend for new musicians in Pakistan. The song received tremendous response, with hundreds of downloads. From there started Jal's journey towards the top of Pakistani charts, subsequently reaching a much wider South Asian audience in India, Bangladesh, and gradually making its way to the far West.

We met with Jal on a recent visit to the DC Metro Area while on a tour of the US. Jal performed several concerts in major cities and were very happy with the response. We found them to be a very talented group of people with deep thoughts about their passion for music.

Below are highlights from our conversation with Jal.

How did Jal come to be?

Gohar composed Aadat when he was in college and entered it into a music competition. He won first prize. Later, he put the song on the internet and got a tremendous response. Around that time, there was a Battle of the Bands sponsored by Pepsi in Karachi. We wanted to enter, but didn't have a name for the band. So we thought of "Jal" - which means water - because water itself doesn't have any shape or form, it adapts to wherever it goes; 70% of our world is made up of water; and water is the most important thing for every person. And we hope that like water, our music will also spread all over the world, make its own place, and be significant!

What is the inspiration behind your music and lyrics?

All of our lyrics are very simple and based on words we hear and use every day, and people can relate to them. We are students and in and around campus we hear a lot of "ab to aadat si ho gaye hai" or "ik din aai gaa" so our inspiration comes from phrases from our daily life. We can relate to the mindset of the youth, being in student life ourselves, and we sing about things that are weighing on the minds of people of our age. "Wo lamhay" was a song that even the older generation enjoyed and they would sing with us at our concerts. But the rest of our songs are for the youth.

What comes first, the music or the lyrics?
It's completely whimsical. If you see the professionals, they write the lyrics first, then they make a melody which goes with the lyrics. We mostly do the music first and then the lyrics. We do a lot of our writing on road trips, when we go to Islamabad for example, we get a few hours on the road. So we first make the melody and then according to the mood of the melody we make the lyrics. Our first album was totally Gohar's work. As for our second album, it's more of a team effort; we have about eight songs of which I (Farhan) have made about two songs, one we all did together, Shazi made one or two, and Gohar has made the rest.

Do you have disagreements on lyrics or music?
No we don't disagree, we give suggestions (laughs all around). If we don't like something then we just walk away or say something subtle like I like the other one better. We are all very good friends and for us friendship comes before the band. On an individual level we are not professional musicians, we don't take Jal as a brand name, but as a group of friends producing music together.

So when is your next album coming out?
There is a lot of work to be done. We are working on videos and completing the songs. There isn't a set date yet.

What is this controversy with Atif; there are some songs in your album that are also in his album?

Atif was the vocalist when Jal was formed. Later, due to some disagreements, we parted ways. It was not amicable. There was a legal fight over the name "Jal" and the copyrights to the songs. Apparently, the copyright law is quite ambiguous in Pakistan - like if a person changes the name of the song, he/she can essentially sing it without your permission and you can't do much about it. In this case, there were further ambiguities because Atif sang a few of the songs, including Aadat, when the band was together. So he included those songs in his album as well. .

How did your song Wo Lamhay end up in Mahesh Bhatt's movie, Zeher, in Atif's voice?

Mahesh Bhatt had heard the song in India - people had heard our songs everywhere in the world. Even Sanjay Dutt came up to us on our trip to India and said he had heard our song in Denmark. But anyway, Mr. Bhatt decided he wanted that song in his movie. Some people who weren't aware of the Jal breakup with Atif, mistakenly put Mr. Bhatt in touch with Atif, who just went and performed that song without telling us. We don't fault Mr. Bhatt at all for this situation, because he wasn't aware of the issues. We met him in India and cleared up any misunderstandings caused by the media saying we had accused him of stealing our song. He's given us full credit for the song, and we are happy with however the situation was resolved.

How was your trip to and reception in India?

It was great. Initially, the media was all over us - there were a dozen cameras when we landed in India, and the press was asking us all kinds of questions about our intentions. They thought we were there to sue Mahesh Bhatt (laughs). But the experience was great. We were treated really well; there was a lot of advertising done for us with posters and welcome signs, and we felt very honored. The crowd was great in Mumbai. Not all of them knew our songs, but the first five of six rows were singing with us. In Pakistan the whole crowd sings with us and we find it hard to hear ourselves! The media in India is very professional. Our interviews were arranged in advance and our schedule was managed very professionally. We feel that the professional media is a big strength of the Indian industry.

What about the U.S. - how has the experience been here?
People aren't very familiar with Pakistani music here. It doesn't seem like it's a big deal to anyone that we've come here to perform. The turnout to concerts, even though the crowd was great fun and very supportive, was much smaller compared to Pakistan. We had about 800 people in Houston, a great crowd in Chicago, but in Connecticut the community is small, so we only had about 300 people. We were told from before not to expect too much. But we got a very good response from all our audiences and they sang along with us, enjoyed the performance and kept pushing for an encore. Overall,

Are there any formal music schools in Pakistan?

In Pakistan there is no such concept of music schools; some of the musicians like Mikaal Hassan and Aamir Zaki are giving guitar lessons to students but that's about it. If there were such institutes where young people could learn music, we are sure a lot of people would be interested.

What can be done to promote musical talent in Pakistan?

If music were to become a subject in schools and colleges then it would get more of a social status. Parents won't have any problems accepting this and the kids can bring their instruments home and practice. We are all self-taught in music; we did not have a chance to learn from any one. So we would really like to see music being taught as a subject because we don't know how to read or write music in its proper cryptic form.

An MBA by education, and a banker in his former life, Shiraz is not a new name for music listeners in Pakistan. His music career was paced in a gradual, deliberate way until recently, when he wholeheartedly stepped into making his talent known to the world. He has recently made waves with his new single "Jhuki Jhuki" and listeners have liked his album a lot. He has recently signed a contract with TIPS music in India for an international release of his album.

Shiraz also has a state of the art music studio in Defense, Lahore, where he produces his own tracks and those of other well-known singers (including Atif, Ali Zafar, and Fareeha Pervaiz in the recent past). We were thoroughly impressed with Shiraz's story and later, his live performance at the LUMS Alumni Homecoming event. Following are some excerpts from our conversation with Shiraz.

Because there is no other way of being global. We don't have any international record labels in Pakistan. India is the only gateway through which the South Asian talent is going international. TIPS, T-Series, Universal, and Sony Music are all international labels. When you sign with them in India, they release your album all over the world.

The biggest thing I see is that our concerts are organized at a very low level, for 800-1200 people. Indian shows are organized for thousands of people. You can see a lot of Pakistanis on Indian shows, but not the other way round. Basically, I think it boils down to stage presence. I feel that our promoters and organizers are always trying to save money and that way, they end up cutting corners here and there. So if you are cost-conscious and going with the cheapest thing available, then you can't create the kind of stage presence that attracts thousands of people. If we have to break this barrier and truly make an impression, we have to make some investment in producing and choreographing our artists and talent abroad.

I wasn't using the internet at all. I couldn't reconcile how people would download an artist's song without knowing his/her name or having heard the music before. But people were publishing their music online and getting a good response, so I also decided to try it. Before I released Jhuki Jhuki, I put a few songs on the internet. It was amazing to see how quickly they made the rounds and I started getting acknowledgements from people. Basically, the only drawback is that your songs are available for free, but if you understand that they'll be pirated anyway, then you can use the internet to promote yourself and sell more tickets for your shows. So in a way it can be really good for the artist. Especially for international audiences; here in Pakistan, people generally know someone who knows you and can get in touch with you, but having a website can help you