October, 2010

By Zehra Ali

We have been devouring these noodles while growing up and let’s face it: it does not matter what age you are, 2 minute noodles are always placed in that emergency cabinet reserved solely for when you get the munchies. This year Knorr introduces their new marketing campaign targeting children between the ages of 5-12 (sorry adults), revolving around the “Quest for the Golden Noodle Pot”, by launching an animated series that ran up to 3 episodes.

If you just so happened to have caught the series playing in between your daily drama serial, you’d realize that Knorr advertised with an angle. Asima Haq, Marketing Manager of Knorr said, “Knorr’s Quest for the noodle pot can be classified as ‘Edu-tainment’. This is absolutely true of the cartoons that aim at encouraging healthy habits within the young, through introduction of vegetables which would indeed taste better when eaten with noodles. As the voiceovers are done in urdu, it caters to a large audience nationwide and is quite entertaining to watch.

Our story begins in the land of Knorr where a mystical cooking pot has been kept safe by the pious village people while it continues to cook delicious noodles for all. When our young hero, Ramiz looses the key which protects this pot which leads to it getting stolen, he embarks on an adventurous journey with his cousin Rania to retrieve it from an Evil Chef.

The voiceovers of these characters are done by a talented cast whom we watch performing on TV on a daily basis.

Evil Chef: Television funny man Faisal Qureshi lends his voice to the Evil Chef, the Knorr Quest villain who steals the Knorr Noodle Pot!
Chatty: A Knorr Quest character whose special power allows her to talk to animals, Chatty is played by actress Sania Saeed.
Chuck: Lending his voice to character Chuck is actor Adeel Hashmi. Chuck’s powers allow him to navigate to any place in the world.
Koochoo: Arjumand Rahim plays Koochoo, whose sixth sense super power allows her to sense what people, plants and even rocks are thinking!
Chopstix: Also played by Arjumand Rahim. Chopstix is a Karate Expert.
Limchoo: Limchoo’s character can transport people through time and space. Played by Momin Durrani.
Hal: Has the power to generate heat and fire and this character is played by voice over specialist Dr. Yasir.
Big Jinn: Played by actor and media personality Imran Aslam, Big Jinn guides Rania and Ramiz towards the noodle pot throughout the Knorr Quest.
Mayor of Knorr Kounty: Played by actor/singer/comedian Khaled Anam, who is Ramiz’s father.
Ramiz: The hero of Knorr Quest, Ramiz is ten years old and the son of the Knorr County mayor. Ramiz’s character is played by Syed Fazal of Ramchand Pakistani fame.
Rania: Ramiz’s 12 year old elder cousin, Rania is played by young actress Aniqa Adil and is his partner in the quest to find the Knorr noodle pot.
Mrs Mayor: is Ramiz’s mother.
Nani: is Ramiz’s grandmother played by Faiza Kazai
Churail: Played by Faiza Kazai

To find out more about the Knorr Noodle Quest log onto their Facebook fanpage:

http://www.facebook.com/KnorrQuest?v=wall

Halloween is just around the corner and Hollywood, as always, has geared up for a series of horror/thriller movie releases this October. Ink presents you with the top five horror movies that have released or are going to release for Halloween. So if you are planning a Halloween party, make sure to make some popcorns, dim the lights and get ready to be scared!

1)   Saw 3D

Halloween just wouldn’t be complete without the latest ‘Saw’ movie and that too in 3D. We recommend the viewers to not to miss this one even if they can not bear to watch the heavy torture scenes. The last movie in the Saw saga, directed by Kevin Greutert and starring Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, and Betsy Russell, it revolves around a deadly battle raging over Jigsaw’s brutal legacy. A group of Jigsaw survivors gather to seek the support of self-help guru and fellow survivor Bobby Dagen, a man whose own dark secrets unleash a new wave of terror.

Release date: 29^th October 2010

2)   My Soul to Take:

Directed and produced by Wes Craven, My Soul to Take is another horror film that is releasing around Halloween, actually on the same day as Saw 3D. The story revolves around a serial killer who returns to his hometown to stalk seven children who share the same birthday as the date he was allegedly put to rest. Set in the sleepy town of Riverton, legend tells of a serial killer who swore he would return to murder the seven children born the night he died. Now, 16 years later, people are disappearing again. Only one of the kids knows if the killer has been reincarnated as one of the seven teens or if he survived the night he was left for dead. Adam “Bug” Heller (Max Thieriot) was supposed to die on the last night the Riverton Ripper wrecked havoc on that terrifying night. Unaware of terrifying crimes being committed to the seven children, he has been plagued by nightmares of their murders while not aware if they hold true or if he is simply imagining the images that haunt him. But if Bug hopes to save his friends from the monster that’s returned, he must face an evil that won’t rest, until it finishes the job it began the day he was born.

Release date: 29^th October 2010

3)   Monsters:

Monsters is a sci-fi horror film. The film is written and directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Whitney Able as Samantha Wynden and Scoot McNairy as Andrew Kaulder.

This movie offers a different story line, consisting of an alien invasion, than all the other horror movies being released around Halloween. Alien life forms have spread throughout Central America leading to the quarantine of half of Mexico. The U.S. and Mexican militaries are battling to contain the creatures, with a wall stretching along the American border. The story follows Andrew an American photojournalist who is tracking down the rich-kid daughter of his boss and their journey back to America through the invaded area.

The extraterrestrial life forms apparently take to our planet pretty well by making Mexico their new home away from home. The journalist and his boss’s daughter get to experience all the terror to be found there as he tries to help her return to safety, but the “monsters” they encounter are very frightening and they do not realize what dangers await for them.

Release date: 29^th October 2010

4)   Paranormal Activity 2:

And the terror continues. Directed by Tod Williams and written by Micheal R.Perry, Paranormal Activity 2 is a 2010 psychological thriller film. After experiencing what they think are a series of “break-ins”, a family sets up security cameras around their home, only to realize that the events unfolding before them are more sinister than they seem. The sequel to Paranormal Activity promises to be scarier, even though the storyline is based on the same theme as the first part and will sometimes remind the audience of the movie ‘The Blair Witch Project’.

Release Date: 22^nd October 2010

5) Hereafter

For all of the people who are not ‘Saw’ fans have a different kind of upcoming Halloween movie to look forward to being released on the same day as that franchise’s grand finale.

Clint Eastwood’s movie ’Hereafter’ tells the story of three people who are haunted by mortality in different ways. Matt Damon stars as George, a blue-collar American who has a special connection to the afterlife. On the other side of the world, Marie (Cécile de France), a French journalist, has a near-death experience that shakes her reality. And when Marcus (Frankie/George McLaren), a London schoolboy, loses the person closest to him, he desperately needs answers. Each on a path in search of the truth, their lives will intersect, forever changed by what they believe might—or must—exist in the hereafter. A movie that revolves around death and life after death, this is a must watch for Halloween.

Release Date: 22^nd October 2010

By Zehra Ali

Ever wondered what the models in Pakistan are up to when they are not working, socializing and running a household as well as handling their children? If you know Nadia Hussain, you’d know that they launch their own shoe collections. After making waves in Karachi with the launch of her first ever collection titled “Fetish”, Nadia has cat walked her way to Lahore to offer people here a chance to explore their fetish.

We got in touch with the model herself for a pre-launch interview to ask her about this new project that she has taken up.

Q1) You have been modeling for quite some time, what or who convinced you to diversify with your own shoe collection?

Variety surely is the spice of life and even though I have no plans to quit the fashion scene any time soon, it was surely time to do something a bit different other than acting and modeling. When the idea and the offer came up to start my own brand of shoes I truly jumped at it!

Q2) Any particular reason as to why you chose to collaborate with “Flitz” for this collection?

Well the idea came up by “Flitz” to have a collaboration of sorts and when I had seen the shoes that they had already been making for export, I was very impressed. I knew that Inshallah this would be a good deal, thus our partnership began.

Q3) Have you taken inspiration from any particular source? Is there any specific shoe designer or brand whose footsteps you would want your business to follow in?

Shoes really cannot be much different from what they have been like for perhaps the previous 5000 years. So, if you know that the gladiator sandal inspiration comes from the time of Jesus, then you can say that inspiration comes from anything that I might see or fancy. It could be the design of a broche, the color of the leather being used or the design of the straps or anything really. Hence, there is no specific design house that I would want to follow. Though, as far as shoes go I would love to be as famous as Jimmy Choo.

Q4) Having already launched your shoe collection in Karachi, what has the response been from fellow colleagues and fans alike?

Mashallah it has been awesome! We had targeted pre-eid time to launch them, thus the shopping fervor was very much there. When I held the red carpet event, I have to say that all my friends really made an effort to come even if they were in the middle of shoots. As far as fans go, they came from far and wide places like Sukkur and Hyderabad and I think I have not posed for the camera as much as I did that day to fulfill their own sweet little desires to be standing alongside me.

Q5) Being a working mother, do you fear that you have perhaps taken on too much with modeling and now your on shoe collection?

None of my projects over-lap. As far as modeling goes, perhaps people don’t know or realize that there are no shows happening nowadays because of the current situations in our country. As far as shoots go, that really doesn’t take as much time as people think it does. It is surely shorter than any average 9-5 day job. Besides, I am not out shooting everyday. As far as acting, I had done some projects last year so I am not doing many acting projects this year. Effectively I am not as busy as people may think me to be. I believe I haven’t taken on too much at all. For shoe designing, I work on 2-3 designs at a time over a sufficient period of time.

Q6) Speaking of which, how do you juggle everything together? After diversifying, how do you expect your routine and life to change?

As I have explained earlier, my life has really not changed dramatically as far as routine or timings go. It’s very much still in my own hands and under my control. I do always have time to spend with my kids, go for my shoots or host projects and then, work on my shoe designing. After which, I always come back home to put the kids to bed.

Q7) What is the concept behind your shoe collection? How is it different from every other brand present in the market?

The concept is for the time being, focused more on flats and some heels. Generally the shoes have big chunky stones and diamantes and interesting designs with chains and mesh. We are not however, working in winter shoes like pumps and such. How it is different is in the sense that whatever one will get from my exhibition at least won’t be available anywhere else.

Q8) What is your target market for this shoe collection?

My target market consists of any age bracket from 15-70 years plus. I guess if you are asking about the class bracket then my shoe collection may be bought by people within the middle to upper class bracket as the shoe prices range from  Rs1500-3500/-

Q9) You have entered a field with severely tough competition. Do you feel intimidated at times?

There is no competition as far as shoes go but yes, generally there is an atmosphere of competition and at times it does make me feel a bit overwhelmed. However, I never get intimidated. Honestly, I feel that I can truly look the lion in the eyes.

Q10) What can potential buyers in Lahore expect out of your shoe collection to be revealed on the 3^rd of November?

Inshallah they will be happy with the experience of buying from my exhibition because of the competitive prices and good range of designs available within flats as well as heels.

Q11) Which PR company did you choose for your exhibition and why?

I used Bilal Mukhtar’s PR and Events as my agency and the reason for that is that I truly feel that opportunities should be given to young blood. Who knows? They might turn out to be better that the bigwigs. Bilal also happens to be a friend of mine so, when he offered to help me I was more than willing to give him a chance to do so.

So ladies, are you willing to discover what your fetish is?

Find out what tickles your sole at Nadia Hussain’s exclusive shoe exhibition on the 3^rd and 4^th November.

By Seemal Jamshed

White lounge cafe is the latest addition to the extremely long list of cafes that are opening up on almost every street of the Lahore. White lounge has opened in the main restaurant and cafe hub of Lahore: m.m alam road and promises to offer something different and exciting for the youngsters.

So we went to try out White Lounge to see what it offered which differs it from the norms of all the other cafes. Situated at the basement, the descending white staircase and frosted glass doors make the visitor curious as to what is being offered inside. Having reached the place, we saw the restaurant filled mostly with youngsters marking it as an ‘in’ hangout place. The ambiance of the restaurant has been established such as to compliment the name of the restaurant; white painted walls, red velvet wallpapers on walls, white sofas with red and black cushions, wooden floors and wooden tables create an atmosphere of a comfortable lounge like one at our homes. A plasma television screen makes the atmosphere complete and is u As we got seated, the waiter served us with the menu. The two page menu disappointed us as it did not offer much variety in the dishes. The appetizers consisted of four dishes only, while the main course offered a typical menu of pastas, burgers and Chinese food. The dessert section also offered only three dishes which were basically the same things but with different names. But contrary to this, the beverages section was filled with a variety of drinks ranging from margaritas to fruit shakes to cappuccinos. As our choice was limited, we ordered the spicy chicken wings with honey sauce from the appetizer along with cashew nuts chicken and fettuccine pasta from the main course. The spicy chicken honey wings were the first to arrive and they were delicious. Next we were served with the main course along with the strawberry margaritas we ordered. The dishes in the main course disappointed us. The cashew nuts chicken was bland and the pasta consisted of nothing but white sauce and a very small amount of chicken. The quantity of the food was also a shock for us. Considering the price of the dishes, the quantity was very less. The strawberry margaritas were not good either and reminded us strongly of a cough medicine.

Our experience at white lounge was not a very good one. ‘Why would someone pay such high prices for food that is good neither in quality nor in quantity?’ says Hira, a visitor at the café. ‘And it doesn’t offer anything which makes it different from all the other cafes.’ another visiter, Ali added. Unfortunately I have to agree with them. The only good thing about the restaurant is the relaxing atmosphere it has to offer. The songs played in the restaurant are usually R’n'B and hip hop songs and caters to their target audience  i.e the youngsters, But being a part of the target audience, we would prefer to go to a place that provides a quality dining experience no matter how much money we have to spend on it.

The Nestle Fruita Vitals Pakistan Style Awards 2010 took place in picturesque valley of Bhurban this year. The ceremony was arranged in a simple way, keepng in mind the flood and the people affected by the floods; the stage and decor were kept plain with only a simple maroon curtain in the background giving a slight hint of the event that was taking place.

The nominees at the Nestle Fruita Vitals Pakistan Style Awards 2010, unlike other award ceremonies, were only those who are considered the front runners in their field and have fused talent with hard work to achieve their goals. This time they came up with a variety of unique and different awards including a ‘Style Legend’ award for Tanveer Jamshed of Teejays, prestigious male and female ‘Style Icon’ awards and two ‘Style Guru’ awards which were handed out to Deepak Perwani and Amir Adnan respectively. Other interesting categories included ‘Most Questionable Style’ whose nominees included Tipu Shah and Atif Aslam; ‘Most Individual Style’ where Aaminah Haq, Nadya Mistry and stylist Tariq Amin were among the nominees and ‘Sound of Style’ for most stylish pop star in which Hadiqa Kiyani was pitted against Ali Azmat. Saima Rasheed rivaled with Shaheen Saeed and Mubashir Khan in the ‘Most Stylish Stylist’ category; while photographers were also judged and the nominees included Shamyl Khuro, Khawar Riaz, Tapu Javeri, Ather Shahzad and Rizwan Baig of Deevees. Television actors were also recognized in the ceremony; awards were handed out to the “Most Stylish TV Actor” in which Humayun Saeed, Aijjaz Aslam, Adnan Siddique and Imran Abbasi were nominated alongside eaach other. the “Most Stylish Female TV Actor” was dominated by model-turned-actressess Zee Q, Sunita Marshall, Zhallay Sarhawady, and Tooba Siddiqui along with Maria Wasti.

The award ceremony started off with Sonu Dangerous and his dance crew performing a tribute to the late pop icon, Michael Jackson and was followed by Amanat Ali who sang “Teriyaan”. The ceremony was dotted with performances by dancer and choreographer Joshinder Chaggar, Seige and Hadiqa Kiani and Irfan Khan. Musician Ali Azmat performed his newst song “Bomb Bomb Phata” during which models walked the ramp wearing Teejays creations.

The very first style award of the evening were presented to photographer Amean Jan for the title of Stylish Photographer. Teejays designer Feeha Jamshed took home the Apna Style award. Artist and designer Yousuf Bashir Qureshi took the Individual Style Icon award while Azmat took home the award for Stylish Singer Male and said, “I believe I don’t deserve it, because of the fact that Atif Aslam and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan have captured the market abroad.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Abdul Sattar Edhi for his services to the poor and destitute and though the philanthropist was not present, he received a standing ovation from the audience. Edhi had recorded a message in which he said, ‘I work for the sake of Allah and if He hadn’t bestowed on me this capability I would not have been able to bear this burden.’ The most awited award of the evening was the ‘Legend Award’ which was bestowed on Babra Shareef who graciously thanked ‘Allah Mian for bestowing me this name and fame’.

The list of the winners is as follows:

• Style Encore: Athar Hafeez
• Stylish Singer Female: Hadiqa Kiani
• Style Diva: Meesha Shafi
• Style Guru: Deepak Perwani
• Style Female Icon: Mahira Khan-Askari
• Style Male Icon: Tariq Amin
• Style Bhai: Mustafa Chaudry
• Billo Style: Mathira
• Stylish Sportsman: Aisamul Haq Qureshi
• Stylish Sportswoman and Icon of the Year: Naseem Hamid

Masala Canada’s 2nd anniversary broadcast is now on line on their web page! Here’s the direct link to this special edition on which you can also hear host Wojteks’ chit-chat with Ink’s CEO Fariha Rashed: http://www.rcinet.ca/english/program/masala-canada/home/date/23-10-2010/

Raghav has new representation in India. He has signed to Atul Khasbekar’s Bling Global Talent. Raghav joins the likes of Bollywood royalty, Deepika Padukone and Farhan Akhtar as Bling clients.

To celebrate Raghav’s success, Universal Music India is releasing the RAGHAV Greatest Hits album. The CD & VCD set will feature Raghav’s hits: “So Much,” “My Kinda Girl,” “Can’t Get Enough,” “Angel Eyes,” “Humrahee” and many more! The album can be purchased here: RAGHAV Greatest Hits - in India.

Raghav has taken his new track “So Much” and toured….so much! He has been all over North America as well as Europe. Now he’s taking his new music to India for a three-city club tour. In addition to “So Much,” Raghav will perform tracks from he new greatest hits album.

Those three dates are not the only time India is going to get a chance to hear those sensual alaaps! Raghav will ring in the New Year with India with the airing of the Kingfisher Model Search reality series finale.  The show closes in Cochin where Raghav performed “So Much” and “Angel Eyes” and was a judge on the season finale.

Last time Raghav was in New York, he took some time out for an in depth interview with newly re-launched, MTV Desi. As part of the interview Raghav performed an acoustic version of “So Much” on a New York City rooftop. Even through rain and fog, the show went on and Raghav rocked the set. This version of “So Much” is as sweet as the peanut-butter cups he sings about. Check out the MTV Desi shoot with Raghav.

Here is the neoDesi video of “So Much” as well as the links to purchase on iTunes:

Canada:
“So Much” feat Kardinal Offishal

U.S.A:
“So Much” feat Kardinal Offishal
“So Much” feat H-Dhami

U.K.
“So Much” feat H-Dhami

Forget about the popcorn! On November 19th, North America’s mouth will be watering for Shah Jahani Biriyani, flaky samosas and sumptuous chicken tikka masala at the premier of Today’s Special!

A feel good foodie film, Today’s Special stars Aasif Mandvi of “The Daily Show” as Samir, veteran Bollywood actor, Naseerudin Shah and queen of cuisine, Madhur Jaffery. After working for years as a sous-chef, Samir is passed up for a much-deserved promotion. Instead of following his dreams of studying cuisine in France and fleeing his disappointment, Samir heads home to Jackson Heights, NY, to take care of his father’s flailing Indian restaurant. As he struggles to accept how his father ran his kitchen, Samir’s character discovers his own unique flavor identity with the help of an unexpected master of food and of life, Akbar (Shah), a cab driver. Samir reconnects to his roots and proves that tradition is not always stagnant as he elevates his ethnic food with modern technique.

Aasif Mandvi, who also co-wrote the film, is best known as a correspondent on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart. In addition to multiple impressive New York Stage credits, Aasif has successfully made a name for himself in film and television appearing in: The Last Airbender, Spider-man 2, Ghost Town, Music and Lyrics, Tanner on Tanner, The Mystic Masseur, The Siege, Analyze This, Sex and the City, Oz, CSI, Law and Order, E.R., Jericho and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

In addition to Today’s Special, Aasif will also soon be seen in: It’s a Kind of a Funny Story, Premium Rush and Margin Call.

New York, NY, October 18, 2010 — Get ready to feel intoxicated! The Bliz & Kashif’s latest music video,“Tera Nasha,” is about speed up the polar ice caps melting with an incredibly steamy vibe.  The sensuous video will be live online on Monday, October 18th on the group’s YouTube channel.

“Tera Nasha” is a slick blend of Hindi and English with Master-D, Kashif and Vicious sensuously crooning to the women they love. A track full of passion and sentiment, The Bilz & Kashif say that this song is for all of the lovers out there:

“After the huge success of Mere Khyalon Mein on the last album, we thought it would be a great concept to write another song which captured once more, the dynamics of Master-D & Kashif.  This time we thought: let’s make it a single. “Tera Nasha” is dedicated to the lovers; people who are lost in a world of passion beyond the lust and who appreciate the one who means the world to them.”

The Bilz & Kashif are famous on the neoDesi music scene for shooting videos boasting the best production level. Matching the seductive lyrics that are sure to turn up the heat for any loving couple, The Bilz & Kashif masterfully shot a video at an exclusive penthouse in Montreal that captures the essence of romance. The group revealed that the concept for the video was conceived as the song was being recorded during a studios session.

On an album as diverse as Breaking Barriers, The Bilz & Kashif have wowed audiences with their range of talent. The group has been known for club bangers, but believes that it’s important to keep it fresh for their audience:

“As artists you need to always re-invent the game and bring something new to the table. You can’t get caught up with doing what everyone else is doing. And we believe that’s what makes our videos stand out. We haven’t seen a video to date that has this much love & passion in it, so we said, let’s do it.”

Samrat Chakrabarti definitely not just another actor trying to make it big in glossy Hollywood, but he has the film world breaking down his door. He has shaped his career to become the reigning king of global independent cinema and his projects, which are spilling onto screens in the next month, are taking him from festival artist to household name.

On October 25th at 9:00pm, the British-born, Boston-raised, Manhattan-based actor stars on this seasons premier episode of the HBO Emmy-winning hit series, ‘In Treatment’ along side veteran South Asian actor, Irrfan Khan. In the show, Chakrabarti stays true to his Bengali roots as Arun Sanyal who brings his father (Khan) over from Kolkota to live with him and his American wife. Family friction leads father and son to the couch of therapist Gabryle Byrne.

How, as an Indian actor, does it feel to be part of such a well-respected mainstream American series? In an interview, Chakrabarti says, “It’s great that prestigious and renowned American channels are sharing stories that portray Indians in a human way. In Treatment is a very well-written show with characters that are very real and three dimensional. I feel lucky to be part of a show that is bold and steering away from stereotypes. It shares the struggles and humane journey of what it means to be an Indian living in America from an honest perspective. There needs to be more shows like this in America, that showcases the universatality of being immigrants, the inner struggles of family, and how all human beings deal with big events such as death.”

In addition to In Treatment, Chakrabarti has the following projects releasing:

Samrat Chakrabarti is a British born, New York based Actor who has been in several Hollywood and International Films.  His film credits include: Claire McCarthy’s “The Waiting City” (w/ Radha Mitchell), Bruce Leddy’s “The Wedding Weekend” (w/ Molly Shannon), Manish Acharya’s “Loins of Punjab of Presents” (w/ Shabana Azmi), Spike Lee’s “She Hate Me”, Yash Raj’s “New York”, Ajay Naidu’s “Ashes” and Joseph Matthews’s “Bombay Summer”(w/ Tanishtha Chatterjee). He has had several guest stars and recurring roles on television, such as: Law And Order(NBC), The Sopranos(HBO), Love Monkey (CBS), Damages (FX), All My Children (ABC), In Treatment (HBO) and Hope and Faith(ABC).  Samrat is also an established international musician and has won numerous awards for his music, including: a U.S. CARA for Best Original Pop/Rock Song, for his composition, “What’s It all About”. He holds a MFA in Acting from the ART/MXAT Program at Harvard University.