Evaluations establishes the fact that so much exists in creative endeavours pertaining to art on November 12, 2019A book titled Evaluations is the third collection of book reviews after Perceptions and Appraisals as a natural corollary to these anthologies by Syed Afsar Sajid. Ejaz Rahim, a renowned name in literature has written the prologue to this book. The purpose of writing this book is simple; to promote the cause of books and […]
The gradual growth of Pakistani cinema and music on October 29, 2017I remember when I was a child I used to go with my aunts and elder sisters to watch movies in Lahore’s cinema halls. There used to be separate shows for women. Until 1965, the Indo-Pak War films were being exhibited in Pakistan. I watched Madhubala-Prem Nath starrer film ‘Badal’, Raj Kapoor-Nargis starrer ‘Barsaat’, Madhubala-Dilip […]
‘Romance is not the theme to write poetry on’ on October 24, 2017I have enjoyed two ghazals with radif, one by Basir Kazmi and the other by Lubna Safdar. The first one is by Basir Kazmi with its matla ‘Bala Se Gar Shab-e-Hijran Main Jal Bujhain Ankhain / Raha Na Dil Hi Salamat Tau Kyun Rahain Ankhain’ (I give a damn if eyes are lost by crying […]
Poetry-based travelogue of the northern areas on October 22, 2017Jungle, Jheel Aur Main By Neelma Naheed Durrani Nastaleeq Matbuaat, Lahore Pages: 144, Price: Rs 400 Just the title of the poetry book Jungle, Jheel Aur Main by Neelma Naheed Durrani reminds me of the beautiful places set in rocky mountains of Alberta, Canada where in the midst of mountains full of trees and wild […]
Master Manzoor Hussain — the creator of melodies on October 19, 2017I am writing this piece on Master Manzoor Hussain not because he was a dear friend but for the fact that he was a superb music composer and a very knowledgeable person as far as Raagdaari (knowledge of raags) is concerned. He tried his hands in the film industry during the late 1950s. His film […]
A commendable literary compilation on July 27, 2017The literary information that the magazine Takhleeq has been providing since 48 years continuously on monthly basis at an affordable price, is commendable. In June 2017, Muhammad Sajid provided some basic information on the great Ravian teacher Professor Sabir Lodhi who was born after a lot of praying at the shrine of Hazrat Allauddin Sabir […]
Fusion of worldly love and the love for God on July 20, 2017When it comes to looking for female poets who write in Punjabi, dozens of names appear in one’s mind but the ones that immediately catch attention are few like Amrita Pritam from India and Nasreen Anjum Bhatti from Pakistan. Anybody following their footsteps like Anjum Qureshi therefore needs encouragement. Let us first talk about the […]
Fusion of worldly love and the love for God on July 20, 2017When it comes to looking for female poets who write in Punjabi, dozens of names appear in one’s mind but the ones that immediately catch attention are few like Amrita Pritam from India and Nasreen Anjum Bhatti from Pakistan. Anybody following their footsteps like Anjum Qureshi therefore needs encouragement. Let us first talk about the […]
Muhhabat Hamsafar Rakhna is a sad account of a womans love life on July 14, 2017When it comes to female poets of Pakistan, the names of many senior and contemporary poets come to one’s mind. Ada Jafri is one such name. Her original is Aziz Jahan. She started writing as Ada Badayuni but after her marriage, she changed her name to Ada Jafri. She is no doubt the first female […]
Pathane Khan a true son of the soil on July 8, 2017Pathane Khan was a true son of the soil. Once he and I were to record some Kafis in music producer Mushtaq Sufi’s programme at Pakistan Television Lahore Centre and we were rehearsing in the rehearsal room when he politely asked me to meet him separately. When I did that, he apologetically corrected the pronunciation […]