Pernia Qureshi unveils her style guide with Sonam

With advice from the fashion world’s best, the book seems to be a helpful read. PHOTO: TWITTER

Fashion stylist and costume designer Pernia Qureshi recently launched her first bookBe Stylish with Pernia Qureshi  — a perfect style guide for those who want to hone their personality. In what could turn out to be an invaluable style guide for the fashion-obsessed, Pernia shares a series of easy and helpful tips with IANS, to help the fashion conscious reader make the right choices.

The book was launched by Pernia’s close friend and actor Sonam Kapoor on October 30. Sporting a pink sari by Pernia and a beautiful choker set, Sonam unveiled the Luxe Illustrated Edition of the book, according to fashioncirqle.com.

“This book is the perfect next step in Pernia’s career. With her creative experience and deep understanding of the psyche of Indian women and their bodies, there is no better person to offer style advice than her,” said Sonam. Published by Random House India, the book will help readers to create their own signature look as it features dos and don’ts for individual body types and personalities.

“Be Stylish is a fun, easy read to help you be the very best version of your already fabulous self,” said Pernia. A reader, who goes by the name thedelhibride, tweeted a quote from the book that she loved: “What other people think of you in none of your business.”

Pernia became a costume designer in the year 2010, when she styled Sonam for her filmAisha. The entrepreneur, who has a fashion website by the address www.perniaspopupshop.com, also dressed Sonam in her 2011 film Thank You.

Available in paperback format, it is priced at INR299, while the Luxe illustrated edition is for INR999.

Good Morning Karachi: Depicting a young and vibrant Pakistan

With mostly first-time actors, Sumar’s film is a fresh and thought-provoking change. PHOTO: FILE

In a country marred with disillusionment, cinema that rejects the often magnified negative image of Pakistan is always welcome. Through her recent film Good Morning Karachi, Pakistani film-maker Sabiha Sumar does just that – she depicts the vibrant youth, who dare to diverge from societal norms and attempt to harmonise the forces of tradition and modernity in a resilient Pakistan.

Inspired by a novella titled Rafina, written by Shandana Minhas, Sumar adapted the story and placed it in the year 2010 in Karachi. The film is set at a time when the country was experiencing a political transition following the return of politician Benazir Bhutto, reports theIndian Express.

Primarily shot in Karachi’s Akhtar colony, which is mainly a lower middle-class suburb, the story revolves around a woman named Rafina (Aamna Ilyas). Determined and strong, she wants to establish herself as a model in the stigmatised Pakistani fashion industry. “This film is about the youth realising their dreams and it is a very real portrayal of the changes in Pakistani society at present. It’s a coming-of-age-story about the young men and women in the country,” said Sumar. While the female protagonist represents modernity, the other character Arif (Yasir Aqueel), aspires to make a visionary change through political action.

Good Morning Karachi premiered in India at the 15th Mumbai Film Festival. This is Sumar’s second feature film after Khamosh Pani (2003), which bagged a multitude of awards and also had a women-centric theme. “My stories tend to have a lot of women because I have worked with women writers. Moreover, being a woman, these are issues that I can relate to,” the film-maker proclaimed.

With greater funding avenues, Sumar feels that this is a good time for film-makers in Pakistan to produce work. “The country paid a price for putting down the arts. And now, we see the opening up of Pakistani cinema,” said Sumar.

Rahul Khanna feels 24 is a game-changer

Khanna admits he always wanted to play a mysterious character. PHOTOS: FILE

NEW DELHI: The desi version of American thriller TV series 24 has a star-studded cast with names such as Anil Kapoor, Mandira Bedi, Shabana Azmi, Anupam Kher, Rahul Khanna and many more. And for Khanna, the show has been a game changer for television due to its stylised sequences and gripping storyline.

“It’s terribly exciting to be a part of a project like this, of course! I was a huge fan of the original 24, and the Indian version has emerged as a game-changer for TV. I’m so proud to be a part of it,” Khanna said.

He will enter as an investment banker, whose name crops up during investigations by protagonist Jai Singh Rathod, played by Anil Kapoor, who is also co-producing it.

Khanna admitted that he always harboured a desire to play a mysterious character – something close to what he plays in the show.

“I’ve always wanted to play a character with an air of mystery and shades of grey,” he said. “And I must say, although it was a difficult shoot – long shooting of days and a tough action sequence filmed in the middle of Bombay’s monsoon – it was still a lot of fun to do.”

While many value the length of screen time, Khanna attributes more significance to the kind of role he gets to play. If he played important roles in movies like Earth and Hollywood Bollywood, the actor did cameos in commercial movies like Love Aaj Kal and Wake up Sid.

“It’s not so much about the length of the role, but rather, its importance in the narrative and getting to be a part of an exciting project. If the role has the potential to make an impact, the length makes less of a difference,” he said.

The 41-year-old is in pursuit of new genres. “There’s nothing I love more than acting in films. I am always on the lookout for new and exciting projects,” he said.  “For me, part of the joy of being an actor is the opportunity to work in as many different genres as possible. I look forward to being part of more full-blown commercial films as well as more independent ones.”

The actor disagrees with the general opinion that he has not done too many commercial films.

“Most people think I shy away from mainstream Bollywood cinema but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact is, I’ve actually worked with some very masala film-makers, including producers Raj Kanwar in Raqeeb and director Vikram Bhatt’s Elaan,” he said.

On the movies front, the actor is looking forward to the release of his film Fireflies, which is said is “a cool, indie film”.

“It’s a simple, poignant story about love, loss and redemption. It’s set between the present scenario in Mumbai and the tea plantations of Ooty in the ‘80s. It centres around two brothers and a tragic incident from their childhood that has coloured their relationship,” he said.

Nescafe Basement brings challenge for Coke Studio with season two

The platform is all geared up, here to stay. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

LAHORE: 

The euphoria surrounding Coke Studio’s season six, which started out with Fariha Pervez’s unimpressive performance, is in no way stopping Nescafe Basementfrom becoming bigger and better. After just one season, the platform has seen significant growth as the number of interested participants grew from 98 last season to 1,300 this season. And with a larger pool of talent aboard, Nescafe Basement season two promises swagger, style and freshness.

Despite having a popular brand name attached to it, Nescafe Basement had a rather low-key release last year. However, this year the team seems confident about leaving a mark. While small-scale projects like Uth Records have previously tried to enter the Coke Studio league, one can safely say that Nescafe Basement is probably the only forum in direct competition with Coke Studio.

“We are very confident,” says Nescafe’s brand manager Maha Khawaja. “This has always been for the youth and by the youth. We believe young people should have the opportunity to express themselves.”

“Last year was sort of a test year but this time around, we have added a lot of new things,” she adds. The team aims to make it more than just another music show by building local networks, and connecting musicians on a local level.

With growth on their mind, Nescafe Basement will have eight weekly episodes, each showcasing two songs with behind-the-scenes documentaries which will highlight the journey of hidden musical prodigies. Apart from television broadcasts, the show will also have a digital component that includes their website, Facebook page and Twitter.

“We are here to stay. I feel that this is just a scratch on the surface considering the potential of our platform. We want artists to be part of a broader support network and continue as mentors and brand ambassadors,” asserts Khawaja.

Considering that an artist like Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan aka Xulfi, who we loved for his heartfelt and soulful voice back from the days of EP, is leading the mentees, it is not too much to expect something substantial from the platform. And it seems that the participants are also enthusiastic about being part of such a team.

“This has brought us all together as one. We are [very] different from Coke Studio, which has established individuals. We are all new, so our sound will also be new,” says Sameen Kazim, 21-year-old marketing major at Lahore School Economics. She has predominantly done Western vocals and is now flexing her vocal chords to cover Nazia Hassan’s famous Boom Boom.

Shahrukh Aslam, a political science major from Lahore University of Management Sciences, who has not played in any real gig or show, feels Nescafe Basement will have a more abrasive and original sound based purely on growth and experimentation.

“It seems that Coke Studio has become comfortable with a particular formula and has more of something that connects with the middle-aged sensibility. This [Nescafe Basement] is slightly more abrasive and tries to push normal musical labels,” says Aslam.

“Really, I was surprised at first when I saw this year’s marketing budget. I think people are starting to believe that we have potential and this should be done on a bigger level,” he adds.

Though the youth element and freshness is something that everyone is taking pride in, majority of the songs will be covers of classics and popular Pakistani songs with only a few originals. It seems that Nescafe Basement clearly distinguishes itself from Coke Studio for being more youth-appropriate, but only the audience can decide whether this is really the case.

Corporate results: KESC posts Rs1.7 billion profit

KESC’s profit before tax actually jumped to Rs1.5 billion from Rs234 million last year as the country’s only privatised power utility cut fuel oil expenses and gas purchases. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) on Tuesday announced a net profit of Rs1.7 billion for July-September quarter, down 24% from last year’s comparable period, mainly because of a lesser deferred tax benefit.

KESC’s profit before tax actually jumped to Rs1.5 billion from Rs234 million last year as the country’s only privatised power utility cut fuel oil expenses and gas purchases.

Net profit appears less than last year’s because of Rs2 billion deferred tax benefit the company got in the same period of 2012.

“Companies can do that until they are in a comfortable position to pay taxes,” said Shahid Ali, Head of Research at Summit Capital.

Though KESC’s revenues, which come from electricity bills charged from consumers, remained almost stagnant at Rs49 billion, the company reduced fuel consumption by 11.6% to Rs19.8 billion. This did not include cost of electricity purchases from Wapda.

Finance cost also saw a decline to Rs2.86 billion from Rs3.4 billion. Other operating income, which includes collection of late payment penalty from consumers, was down 37% to Rs999 million.

KESC, which serves 2.5 million customers, has markedly improved power distribution in Karachi by employing good-customer-gets-good-service policy. Transmission and distribution losses of the company have come down to 27.8% from 36% in 2009.

Corporate results: PPL profits jump as rupee depreciates

The increase in profits is mainly a result of higher oil production and a depreciation in the Pakistani rupee. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: Pakistan Petroleum Limited announced their results for the first quarter of the current fiscal year (1QFY14), posting after-tax profits at Rs12.47 billion, up 11% from Rs11.28 billion for the corresponding period in the previous year, and 48% from Rs8.42 billion in the previous quarter.

Earnings per share were at Rs6.33 compared with Rs5.72 last year.

Net sales were reported at Rs27.78 billion, up 14% from Rs24.472 billion in the previous year. According to analysts, the increase in profits is mainly a result of higher oil production (30% higher year on year according to JS Global Securities); and a depreciation in the Pakistani rupee. The company was also able to benefit from stable and relatively higher oil and gas prices.

Other income fell to Rs2.16 billion from Rs2.27 billion last year. However, on a quarterly basis other income rose 68% from Rs1.29 billion in the previous quarter. Analysts attribute this to earnings from Pakistan Investment Bonds issued by the government in an attempt to clear up circular debt. According to Global Securities Pakistan, the fall in other income on a year-on-year basis is due to falling interest rates.

Devolved under 18th Amend: Provinces ‘lack capacity’ to handle maritime functions

Instead of organising port operations under a unified command, the maritime sector was being dealt with by different ministries. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: “Post-devolution complications and reservations by provinces, especially Sindh and Balochistan, about maritime policy are costing the nation billions annually,” Director General, National Centre for Maritime Policy, Vice Admiral (Retd) Asaf Humayun said at a seminar on “Blue Economy – Potential and Prospects” held at the Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad.

Noting that the policy had been drafted with the aim of bringing comprehensive reforms in Pakistan’s maritime strategy and to address the country’s dynamics of commerce and security, he said that delays in approval of policy have been affecting trade, economic activity and strategic interest of the country and are increasing economic, environmental and security issues for the nation.

Instead of organising port operations under a unified command or at least through a coordinated effort, the maritime sector of the country was being dealt separately by different ministries and provincial governments. There should be an integrated approach to get rapid and long-term advantages of national sea territories, he urged.

He said that 18th constitutional amendment had devolved maritime functions to the provinces, which lack the capacity to deal with them and have not been able to take up the delegated functions even after passage of more than three years. He said that the maritime sector should be restored as a federal subject.

The government should also form an executive body at the federal level to deal with maritime issues instead of the inefficient maritime coordination committee in which currently 18 secretaries represent different departments, he suggested.

Urging an integrated approach for ports and shipping, he said that export processing zones, industrial areas, fisheries, warehousing facilities, rail and road transportation infrastructure, etc., alongside ports are essential to thrive upon the maritime potential in this country. He said that Gwadar port constructed with heavy investment from China, which is operational since 2008, has been unable to progress due to the lack of this integrated approach and each ton of cargo handled at Gwadar costs $30 extra due to lack of rail or road links. The total cargo handled at Gwadar so far is only 5 million tons and just 145 ships have called at the port since 2008.