THE HUMOUR BANDWAGON
What’s Stopping Them from Making Films?

LAST WEEK, I was watching a hilarious attempt at film-making in the typical Tapori Indian style. It was quite a crazy effort from the 4-Man Show team, and there was some great political comedy involved. I think it was the third day of Eid. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I am sure there is need for more such efforts on not just television, but on the silver screen. I mean, why not?
In my opinion, if private productions and the surfeit of television channels have progressed in any way, it is certainly the progression of young comedy. In this context, there are two distinct schools of thought, both of which came from Pakistan Television. The Shoaib Hashmi Clan and the Farooq Qaiser Team. It is not necessarily the direct involvement of these two gentlemen that puts the chabi in them. But, they are schooled in these disciplines from the beginning. These two schools have survived, while there is no pupil, sadly, of the Allan-Nannha team, or the Fifty-Fifty group, or Athar Shah Khan’s Jedi, etc. But, yes, Anwar Maqsood’s satire-&-comedy team did mould out of his own shows, though none of his earlier team members with Fifty Fifty has adhered with him. Today, he seems to have affinity with just Mo’een Akhtar, and not many others are featured in his shows. Even Bushra seldom works with him. I am saying this because a team that survives the times, and continues to engage itself in the same kind of activity, is called a true school of thought. Even today, the seniors of the Shoaib Hashmi clan, namely Irfan Khoosat, Samina Ahmed, Salman Shahid, Arshad Mehmood (though less frequently now), Abbas Shafi and others are busy doing the same type of activity that was their initial subject. That’s why they are still a team. Similarly, those connected with Farooq Qaiser are also engaged, mostly, in comedy in their own spheres, like Khawaja has his own funny talk show, Uncle Sargam is also seen on various channels, like in Nadia Khan Show, etc. and Masi Museebti is also alive and well, while Bushra Ansari, too, does comedy off and on. Afzal Khan Rambo, too, is doing comedy, though not particularly good now.
It is said that there’s another group of Dr. Yunus Butt’s series like Family Front and Hum Sub Umeed Se Hain, but these series did not introduce any new artistes as such. They made use of the established artistes like Samina Ahmed, Usman Peerzada, Waseem Abbas, Saba Parvez, etc. In fact, if there’s any real progress in a third and fourth comic group, then it is the team of the 4-Man Show, which is definitely a new team, and the Azfar-Mani-Tipu-Faisal Q foursome, doing very well in their own particular styles.
I feel that Jawwad Bashir has really established his own identity as a concocter of new comic concepts. From music videos to TV serials, he has done a lot towards this goal. Although in some serials, he looks a bit hackneyed, like in Phool Aur Kantey, but I think if one is doing so much work, one has to give one the leeway for some commercial work. He has brought in some good new artistes, and it is here, in Jawwad’s serials that one sees, for the first time, the combination of two to three comedy schools. In fact, this concept has become so popular that today we see Shehzad Roy’s video of Laga reh bring together artistes from different comic teams.
The comedy shows and serials that have been very popular during the last eight to ten years include Azfar-Mani’s Sub Set Hai, Shoaib Hashmi’s Jutt & Bond, Anwar Maqsood’s ongoing Loose Talk, Dr. Yunus Butt’s Family Front and Hum Sab Umeed Se Hain, Jawwad Bashir’s Couples and Phool Aur Kantey, the crazy 4-Man Show, Wasey Qureishi’s Rubber Band, etc. It shows you that people hate soaps now, and dig comedy, obviously due to the rigors of this globalised world.
All the more impetus to construct new films based on these comedy plays and serials. With scores of new and talented technicians provided by private productions and the new surfeit of channels, why can’t it be done? After the success of Khuda ke Liyay and Ramchand Pakistani, it is far more likely that the public is waiting for new work from television people to appear on the silver screen.

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SHAAN & HUMAYUN
Varied Reactions to Indian Offers!
MAHESH BHATT is one person in Bollywood, who generally proves the importance of a secular ideology in India, although there are many who continue to put the lie to that vital aspect of this ancient land. After the death of Sunil Dutt, it is Mahesh, whose genuine ideology of humanism and love for artistic ventures has impressed even the bitterest detractors. Not only does he prove that he is never ready to become one of many pillars of purely commercial cinema in India, he is always ready to extend a friendly hand across the border to include Pakistani artistes in his star cast, sometimes even at the risk of his venture. Quite a few Pakistani singers and pop bands have debuted for Mahesh’s films, while some more are in line to go to Bombay for such ventures. Moreover, Mahesh practically proved his good intentions, when he visited Pakistan several times for the annual Kara-Film Festival, and screened his films, even premiering them here, and took active part in the question-answer sessions later.
This time, Mahesh Bhatt has negotiated with Humayun Saeed for his film, and Humayun is said to be reporting for shooting in Bombay on 12th October. Being an ardent fan of films, Humayun could create a niche for himself in India, and he needs all the luck after the bad showing of his last film in Pakistan, Javed Sheikh’s Khulay Aasman ke Neeche. I am talking about the factor of luck, because with a brilliant film debut like Samina Peerzada’s Inteha, he was a part of two flops, Evernew’s No Paisa No Problem (in the literal sense), and recently, Javed’s KAKN (left rudderless under the open skies!). Javed Fazi’s Main Ik Din Laut ke Aaoonga was his only film, which did better than average business.
Humayun says negotiations between him and Mahesh had been going on for some months, but when he saw the script, he immediately said yes to the offer. The film is called Jashn, which includes new cast, including Shekhar Suman’s son. Let’s hope, Humayun makes a good impression.
Shaan, on the other hand, says he refused Aamir Khan’s film offer, where he was to play the villain. It is said that Aamir was keen for this one, because he had heard much about Shaan, and he wanted a powerful villain opposite him. Shaan met Aamir, while he was in Bombay for the post-production work of his Eid release, Zill-e-Shah. Shaan said, “Aamir offered a villain’s role to me for his next film in Mumbai, but I told him that I was now committed to follow into my father, Riaz Shahid’s distinguished career of serving the local industry. I have taken up this goal in my life now. We can only prosper if we help ourselves. The only way there could be any cultural co-operation between India and Pakistan is when the Indians meet us on an equal basis, both, monetarily and art-wise.”
So, both avenues are open. Some refuse, some accept. But, of the two, the nobler surely is the one which aims to serve our own film industry.
ROOP
Welcome Return
THE CUTE, giggly babe, Roop has returned to active showbiz. It’s a welcome return because she was considered an interesting youngster in the Nineties, when she made her debut as Babar Ali’s crazy sister, in Iqbal Kashmiri’s film, Sarak, which was shot completely in Karachi. I met her while she was staying at the recently marhoom Metropole Hotel, then. While all the cameras were trained on Babar Ali and Reema, the teenager sneaked behind them to her mum at the dinner table, and tucked into some well-done chicken. This was the juncture when I talked to her, and she seemed a nice, young talent at the time. But, later, Roop could not make her mark due to some bad choices, after a grade-one venture like Sarak.
The fact is that Iqbal Kashmiri picked Roop up after he saw her do a wonderful job in a PTV serial, Dunya. This ebullient teenager lost her way after this good opening, and was later cast sparingly in cameo or comic roles with the likes of Rambo and others. Then, one heard of her reported affair with Babar Ali, although when the issue of marriage came up, the whole rumour deflated, some say due to Babar Ali’s reluctance to go along. But Roop continued to work in smaller roles, and even her role in Omar Sharif’s film (I forget the title, maybe Chand Babu) could not help her rise above the ordinary.
So, after remaining in the background for sometime, Roop is now starring in some Pushto films, one of which is opposite the current Pushto superstar, Shahid Khan. It is under production, titled Zarra ba Chalah Warkarri Sook. Something to do, perhaps, with the current Afghan Mixed Soup? Well, I am not so well-versed in this delightful language to immediately get to the crux of such a lengthy title! But Roop definitely has landed a central role with the most saleable film name in Pushto cinema. Maybe it’s her plan to gradually rise to prominence, and then try to get some good movies over the years. She has time on her side, and remains a face with that mischievous smile that is given only to some very characteristic film faces.