It is important to enter a cinema with a clear mind – without having any biases or preconceptions about a film, its characters or its genre. Thinking that a certain film would work or not – even before the film begins – seriously hampers the process of criticism, which then mostly leans towards the extremely […]
‘Parey Hut Love’ — an elegant ode to love and loss
‘Parey Hut Love’ is about both love and loss. It is a tale of coming to terms with losing someone you love. The relationship of Sheheryar and Saniya breaks fresh ground on two accounts: its usage of signature Pakistani element of chequered grandiosity to mount a blossoming romance around many seasons, four weddings, and a […]
Hijabistan — finding support in sisterhood
Usually my Sundays are spent comfortably wrapped up in a warm, velvety quilt that my godmother gifted me some 28 months ago. This Sunday, however, was slightly different in its course: early in the morning I got a text from a friend who was in Karachi and wanted to reconnect over a cup of splendid […]
‘Delhi Crime’ wins because of the tone it chooses
Early Monday morning, I woke up with a fair idea that it would not be easy to watch Richie Mehta’s seven-episode series ‘Delhi Crime’, but I never expected that it would shock me in unexpected ways and allow me to empathise with my father who served Sindh police for over 35 years of his life. […]
‘Made in Heaven’ — an uncanny resemblance of life in Karachi
We are all scarred in some ways, carrying baggage that almost affects our gait, our posture and our mannerisms and also, the way we deal with people. And it is not just stress or workload. It’s something bigger than that. Something accumulated over years of silence, imbued with trauma, and charged with wretched melancholy. Bringing […]