An Aftar to Remember

Satire

...want to outshine the neighbor’s Iftar party? Follow my instructions...at own peril!!!

Wake up Lazy-bones!  Yes, you… the housewife who’s eaten too many parathas at Sehri and having sent the doting husband to office and chubby-cheeked Angles to school, are now sprawled in bed because you have nothing better to do! Are you bent upon making up for the time you had to spend supervising that oh-so-stubborn cook of yours to make just the right olive oil parathas for your health-conscious family? Must’ve been exhausting, but get out of bed now and start your day! I have some great tips for you to adorn your home for the next Iftar dinner you’re planning. Hey, c’mon now…don’t you want to outshine the oh-so-friendly neighbor who always manages to get more compliments than you? Ah, I see, that got your attention! Okay, lady, let’s get to work…

Let’s see now…you know, your living room could really do without this burgundy carpet. Royal as your guests may be, they do not need a red-carpet welcome! Take it out and wipe your marble floor squeaky-clean with the imported shawl that hangs in the closet forever waiting to be used. Of course I am serious! Then spray that new tangy ittar Khala gave you last Eid. Yes, yes, I know your friend Khushboo deserves it more since she gave you the tacky scarf you wouldn’t be caught dead in, but focus on the task at hand, will you? We can plan Khushboo’s retribution later! The ittar  will do wonders for the floor, not to mention the heavenly aura it can create that we all like to think of during Ramazan. It’s an Iftar-dinner you’re hosting, gal… create the right mood!

Okay, now remove that ‘throw’ you’ve placed so strategically on the back of your faux leather sofa. Take out your shiny golden dupatta and replace it with that. Of course, I’m serious! Don’t you want the guests to start thinking of gota and Eid in advance, and plan a gift for you? You need to drop subtle hints here and there, you know! Besides, your husband might be grateful to finally see the last of the throw he begged you not to buy. He might even put up with your bad cooking when the cook takes off on Eid. How about killing two birds with one stone this Eid? Er, of course I am aware you are the one who trained the cook in the first place! Why, there’s no one that cooks like you anywhere on the planet! Your husband is just ungrateful, like all husbands! Maybe he doesn’t deserve you anyway…but we’ll talk about that later. Let’s focus on the task at hand?!

Okay, that looks much better…although…I really wish you’d listen to your daughter once in a while. Teenagers these days have such a great aesthetic sense and are so creative too. Remember when she asked for the embalmed dove? You should’ve let her have it. It would’ve helped create the right mood. Anyways, find one now and hang it from the fan. Make sure you give it enough string to reach eye-level. It should keep dangling in front of everyone who enters. After a while turn on the fan exclaiming how hot the weather is. That’ll create an even more authentic effect, especially if it hits someone on the head and he or she has a brief ‘near-death’ experience. Voila…heaven on earth!   

      Now let’s see what we can do with the curtains. They’re not bad, but try and find green satin with big date-palms on it. When you serve the dates at Aftari, stand in front of the curtains to enhance the effect. And do ask little Gugloo beforehand to point out how he’d love to climb a date palm one day and pick dates himself. You can laughingly point at the curtains and say, “Oh, dear, but the dates are so high!”  A giggle or two to go with the comment wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Also, put at least ten prayer mats on the centre table to show how much you respect and care for those who pray even in these materialistic times. I know, not many would pick them up as they slouch on the sofas after having gobbled down the delicious food once the roza breaks, but then again, you’d have made your point!

Remove all those flower arrangements from your crystal vases and fill them with prayer-beads – as many different sizes and colors as you can find. People will appreciate your dedication to prayer, and what a religious statement you would have made. Full marks! 

Now, for the dining room, use the same date-palm print for a dining sheet. Don’t forget to stitch a nice wide lace to the hem, with dried-dates hanging at one-inch intervals. No, I don’t think orange lace would do. Try, Fuchsia. And learn to pronounce ‘Fuchsia’ so that you can impress everybody with your knowledge of colors other than those of the rainbow. Mm-hmm? Remember the time you kept mixing ‘teal’ with ‘tea’?!  

No, no…don’t remove the dining chairs. You don’t seriously think all your guests can sit on the carpet?! I know how we love to go back a few centuries in Ramazan-mode, but the amount of cola drinks people consume these days in place of milk, at least half of the guests would be contemplating joint-replacement surgery anyway. We don’t want to cause anyone any discomfort, do we? Not in Ramazan, anyway. And if they are hanging on to each other’s shoulders for support on the way out, you might have to arrange rides for them and they might even forget to compliment you on your excellent culinary or hostess skills. Push all the chairs against the wall, and Let them sit if they want.

Do you have Aab-e-Zamzam at home? Never mind, no one has it handy, but has that prevented anyone from serving it, if you know what I mean?! Just do the same. No, that’s not called ‘lying’! You don’t have to announce that you’re serving Aab-e-zamzam, just point to the jug and casually remark that you had it especially brought over for the faithful Rozadars, and no one will ask you what it is or where was it ‘brought over ‘from!

Okay, you know how important food presentation is? Dazzle everyone with our creative ideas. Put all your expensive crockery away. You’ve used those plates so many times…think ‘out-of-the-box’ options. No, no…not EAT out of the box! Gosh! Fine, just use your own dishes…but get some wide leaves from your garden and use them as mats for the dishes when you serve the mouthwatering delights the cook prepares. Er, sure…Elephant-Ear will do. No, no...no one will die of allergy! We don't have these issues in out blessed land...what, we could even eat leaves and nothing would happen!That's just the delicate Western disposition! Using leaves is symbolic because leaves grow on plants which are planted in the ground – to which we all shall return! See? You can subtly put the fear of God in people’s hearts! If they return to the drawing room and pick up the prayer-mat, you’d have succeeded in conveying the important message. God bless you for that, my dear.  

Okay, dear…now get to work. I’m feeling a little light-headed with my roza and all…I think I’ll take a nap while you get your act together. Then pick up the phone and invite all your friends and neighbors – don’t forget me! – and be the most popular Ramazan hostess ever. Good luck and Ramazan Mubarak!!!

The Reality of Reality Shows

Feature

Television is an influential medium of entertainment reaching out to millions. It is, therefore, necessary to utilize its potential as a positive influence while serving that purpose.

The importance of entertainment as a central cultural phenomenon cannot be overlooked since it serves as an indicator of larger cultural trends. Media is considered to be one of the most influential entertainment tools effectively utilizing its many genres. It is interesting to note that while particular entertainment preferences guide our choices influenced by cultural conditioning, appeal of some entertainment genre transcends cultural barriers. Reality television is one such genre of entertainment that has claimed universal appeal in the global media.

Reality television is characterized by programming in which ordinary people are featured encountering dramatic or unusual situations, supposedly while performing actual everyday tasks. The genre is not new and has existed of long in the form of game shows, but in the last decade it has been expanded to include a variety of topics, including drama, talent hunt, search for love, adventurE, celebrity lifestyles, highlighting a cause, and crime etc. Reality television is not very ‘real’ in the sense that it employs sensationalism to attract viewership and boost ratings. Sometimes, reality shows are scripted but an illusion of reality is created through editing. Shows based on lives of showbiz celebrities are mostly popular because of the element of glamour.

In India, the more popular reality shows entice viewers with gossip masala. In some Indian reality shows, a heightened sense of sensational drama is achieved by having the participants behave in an exaggerated manner often considered scandalous and challenging to social etiquette. Some other reality shows are based on contests for the purpose of talent hunt, especially in music-related fields which has a huge market in India. To better understand the popularity of this genre in India, an introduction of some Indian reality show might be helpful.

Many Indian reality shows are inspired by shows from abroad, again highlighting the universal appeal of the topics explored. Big Brother inspired the production of the Indian version, Big Boss; Sach Ka Saamna from Moment Of Truth, and Indian Idol and Chotay Utaad – which features child singer and performers – from the UK Pop Idol and American Idol. Among music programmes, Indian Idol has served as a big platform for many budding singers. India’s Got Talent, is the Indian version of the ‘Got Talent’ series. The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, a competition of standup comedians, is a very successful comedy reality show on Indian television, inspired by the American programme, ‘Who’s Line is it, Anyway’? Another ‘hunt for love’ show MTVsplitvilla, is based on the concept of the American dating game show, The Bachelor, in which a rich bachelor finds the ultimate girl of his dreams by choosing from a group of girls through a process of grueling tests and elimination. Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa is the Indian version of BBC’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and ABC’s ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and ‘So You Think You Can Dance’; Kaun Banega Crorepati’ is the Indian version of the UK game show ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’ This show combines the celebrity aspect of reality genre featuring the legendary star, Amitabh Bachhan. This is also the show on which the 2009 blockbuster film, ‘Slumdog Millionaire” was based, creating a unique and highly successful reality film. Another important reality show called Haath se Haath Mila, (Let’s Join Hands) is an influential show highlighting the importance of community service by creating awareness about HIV/AIDS in India and features celebrities from Bollywood. .

A quick glance on reality show format and their focus shows that their popularity stems from their perceived relation to our own dreams and aspirations. The common thread that runs through most reality shows is their popular appeal in terms of sharing achievements, heartbreak, joys and tears in a quest for success. While the talent-hunt shows provide a useful platform for showcasing unexplored talent and to give opportunities, their greater appeal also lies in the public’s own desire to see ordinary people change their destinies and achieve their dreams. In others, where contests strive to find their dream partner, heartbreak and high drama entails through much of the series. However, the concept of making the contestants go through sometimes humiliating experiences to avoid elimination teaches values that the society does not approve of at large. At the same time, the viewers and men in these Indian reality shows have a fun time at the expense of the participants, while the girls end up demeaning themselves through catfights and obscenity. Feminists have been up in arms against reality shows that show women as sex objects, to no avail.

Another trend in the West which is still under consideration in India, is the reality show production of political figures as stars. Sarah Palin's Alaska has faced strong criticism in the US media, and a Time Magazine report questioned the motive of the show as being “the world's most expensive political ad” at $1 million for each episode, produced free of charge. In India, though no reality show has been made exclusively for a politician as yet, people with political links have occasionally appeared on such shows; Sanjay Nirupam was a participant in Bigg Boss, and Rahul Mahajan has featured in several reality shows.

Another important aspect of reality show production is its strong marketing value. Since people tend to identify and relate with participants of reality shows on some level, there is a greater chance of being influenced by their preferences. Sometimes reality shows feature use of popular brands to boost their own profits. These brands pay high rates for advertisement. This is known as product placement. It is a form of advertisement where branded goods are casually placed in the story line. An advertisement is accepted as having a great impact on minors too, whether it is the decision of purchasing toys or imitating their favorite character’s actions. That makes it a big responsibility for the marketing agencies. The negative influence of smoking by lead actors in the past is known to have influenced minors and adults alike.

In the US, an example of embedded marketing includes ‘Extreme Makeover’, which promotes sponsors like Sears and Ford. The designers of the programme executing the makeovers are often shown shopping at Sears and fitting Kenmore appliances in the homes undergoing makeovers. The Indian show Haath se Haath Mila also uses placement ads to promote its message. Film clips of the stars supporting the cause and appearing on the show are used as embedded marketing tools to draw viewership and enhance profits. A few examples of product placement in Indian movies include Coke in Taal, Maruti Swift in Bunty Aur Babli and Calvin Klein in Salaam Namaste.

Most reality shows focus on profits and don’t mind promoting negative messages to boost their viewership.  It is important to realize that reality television is an indispensible and influential tool of entertainment today. Instead of providing meaningless or detrimental entertainment, we can utilize its potential as a positive influence on the viewership alongside its real purpose.

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PUBLISHED: SouthAsia Magazine, Jan 2011.

The Show Must Go On

How wonderful it is to leave the drudgery of daily existence and lose yourself in the fantastic, colourful world of the circus.

The Wikipedia defines the circus as “a travelling company of performers that may include acrobats, clowns, animals, trapeze acts, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists.” Circus performances are carried out by trained human as well as animal performers and comprise a series of acts choreographed to lively, upbeat music.

Circus life is portrayed in books and films as the most romantic of fantasies come true and makes everyone wish to be a part of it as it has an undying universal appeal. For decades performers have been stealing the hearts of viewers by enacting their secret fantasies through their very risky acrobatics and colourful, lighthearted fun moments. In countries like India where day to day life is mired in issues of poverty for an overwhelming majority, people seek thrill and entertainment in a not too expensive way, and visiting a circus is an activity considered a valued part of family fun. For others, it is also seen as an escape from the grind of daily existence.

However, in the last few decades the issues of animal rights have overshadowed the entertainment element of many a business dependent upon the use of animal performers. According to a recent BBC report on life inside the Rambo Circus in Mumbai, business is slow and the circus management is introducing acts from China, Africa and Uzbekistan to retain innovation. The owner Sujit Dilip thinks it is almost 60% down from that of years past, because of the animal ban imposed by the government. Many of the exotic animals that people are so keen to come and watch, have been shifted to the zoos while animal rights activists continue to cry hoarse about allowing circuses to restrict others to conditions that are very different from their natural habitat.

The Indian circus community has faced a dilemma since the Union Environment Ministry imposed a ban based on the 1960 Prevention of Cruelty against Animals, and on training and performance of wild animals such as bears, monkeys, tigers, lions and panthers in 1991. Circus owners like Sujit chakravorty of Empire Circus, swear that circuses cannot sustain without animals, but Anuradha Sawhney of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals has asserted that “Circus owners frequently flout rules and treat animals in the worst possible way.” – a fact that is indeed common knowledge. Animal trainers are generally known to use crude and cruel methods to train and tame. Animals are kept in undersized, filthy cages in which they can’t even turn around fully, lie down, or stand up comfortably. They also go for long periods without adequate supply of water and food to prevent soiling of cages, and there’s no appropriate arrangement of proper ventilation. Moreover, when travelling from place to place the transportation is done without much regard to their comfort or safety.

The first global study of animal welfare in circuses has noted that wild animals used in circuses are least suited for life in captivity and they are often kept in unfriendly conditions even after reaching their destinations. “It’s no one single factor. Whether it’s lack of space and exercise, or lack of social contact, all factors combined show it’s a poor quality of life compared with the wild.” the lead researcher of the study, Stephen Harris of the University of Bristol, UK was quoted in New Scientist magazine as saying. He added that “There is no evidence to suggest that the natural needs of non-domesticated animals can be met through the living conditions and husbandry offered by circuses. Neither natural environment nor much natural behavior can be recreated in circuses,” The survey also concluded that on average, wild animals which are part of circuses spend just 1 to 9 % of their time training, while the rest confined to small spaces covering less than a quarter of the area recommended by zoos. The circuses are also required to have tranquilizing guns and medicines to ensure safety of human and animal performers as well as minimize danger to the public. “But it is flouted everywhere and mahaouts and public is being hit and killed by elephants under continuous stress,” said Dr. Sandeep K. Jain, a member of the Animal Welfare Board of India.

Some of the other serious issues addressed by legislation and animal rights activists include premature removal of baby elephants born in breeding compounds from their mothers; use of hooks and whips used on animals during performances, and tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, smaller hand-held shocking devices, sticks, axe handles, baseball bats and metal pipes used during training sessions in order to break their spirit and keep them subdued.

India’s Central Zoo Authority has been very active in protecting animal rights and has laid down conditions for recognizing captive animal facilities. Hence, in India, it is illegal to exhibit, train or make certain wild animals perform in circuses, including bears, monkeys, tigers, panthers and lions. Circuses that want to use elephants are required to get permission from the Central Zoo Authority and performances by other animals need registration with the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI). However, as with everything else, constant supervision is required to ensure the rules are met with.

There’s a lot of stress on animal rights issues, but human performers face many dilemmas too which are not always addressed. The life of a circus artist is not easy. Many of the circus artists belong to economically disadvantaged sections of society who have no other means of income and are not educated. Some of them have had to give up education in order to support their families, while a few others have confessed to having run away from home, unable to resist the lure of travel and the constant thrill and adventure the circus life provides. They spend their whole lives chasing an unreal world of dreams but remain committed to it once they have joined. The risky acts require extensive training and commitment, but the circus ring only translates their dreams till they are able to keep up with the hectic routine. They put up brave smiles and go on to provide light moments when the living gets too tough for the rest of us, while they have to go back to their many grim realities of life, including concerns for their future and of the future of their children. They fear old age since only a few are able to secure positions as trainers for newcomers.

Life of circus entertainers may appear to be happy and full of excitement but there are so many mysteries behind the ever-present smiles of clowns that betray not a hint of the chaos that goes on behind the scenes. When the performances end and the public leaves rejuvenated, they put away their props and tools, wash away fake smiles, and check the ropes to make sure the safety aspect is taken care of for next time and the sense of wonder that the public seeks is maintained. Indeed, they put the realities of their lives on hold to ensure the continuity of our fantasies.

Published SouthAsia Nov 2009

Through the Lens

An art form and a popular source of entertainment, film is generally a reflection of its native culture and society.

Films, according to Wikipedia, ‘are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures, which reflect those cultures, and in turn affect them.’ As an art form with universal appeal – through its various popular genres that encompass a wide range of linguistic and visual presentations – and as technology, the cinema has been in existence for a little over a hundred years. It started in the early 1890s and spread all over the world within a period of 20 years. As the medium developed and evolved, it was also came to be used for educational and research purposes – and even propaganda – but its main aim remained providing lighthearted entertainment to the general public.

Over the years, the South Asian film industry has evolved and adapted to various climes in a bid to make itself recognized as a major source of entertainment. It succeeded in making a place for itself in some South Asian nations and has remained a struggling genre in others. The film industries existing in South Asian countries like Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan have flourished or regressed according to the political upheavals or social approval extended to them by their native lands. It would not be wrong to say that the South Asian cinema is dominated by the Indian film industry, popularly known as Bollywood, while Pakistan film industry (aka Lollywood) has been struggling to follow suit. Before delving into the Bollywood and Lollywood phenomena, however, let’s take a brief overview of the South Asian Cinema in general.

The South Asian cinema holds within itself a wide range of styles and genres. Particular favourites have turned out to be musicals, action films, romantic comedies or crime/revenge films. Although escapism is a recurrent underlying theme in most of these mainstream cinema features , art films featuring more complex issues teasing the intellect and pointing out serious flaws in the social setup, have also started to hold popular appeal.

Nepal for its natural beauty has been the object of fascination for film makers from abroad for many years, yet its own industry truly breathed anew finally after the Maoists joined mainstream politics in 2006 and the hostile atmosphere of raw conflict gave in to relative peace. Nepalese films generally tend to be simplistic and heavily influenced by Indian films with song and dance sequences interspersed with the narrative.

Sri Lankan films, in the recent years, have explored themes arising from years of conflict between the military and the Tamil Tigers. They depict ordinary people’s dilemmas and dreams revolving around struggle for survival during the period of longstanding unrest.

The Bangladeshi film industry is known for producing as many as a hundred movies a year on a budget of 6,500,000 taka per film. Still, quantity does not necessarily signify quality as Bangladeshi movies have been criticized for selling violence as their main ingredient, besides the usual theme of love and romance.

Cinema entered Afghanistan in the early part of 20th century. The Afghan Film Organization was built in 1968. Afghanistan has been through much turmoil over the last couple of decades, and so has Afghani cinema, coping with war and internal conflict. In the late 90s, religious sentiment clashed with this popular entertainment activity and resulted in burning down of cinemas. As a result, film production took a nosedive for some years. However, some documentary films of notable mention bringing to light the plight of a war-ravaged land have been produced in the country.

Bollywood, the Indian film industry, is one of the world’s largest producers of films in the world. It has moved way ahead of its Pakistani counterpart over the years. Till the 60s both the industries were considered at par, providing a healthy competition to each other. Gradually, though, it became apparent that Bollywood was the natural leader in this field. Through consistent policy and active promotion, it has earned popular acclaim throughout the world for good production, diverse themes and good acting. Although formulaic productions continue to find a huge market, more and more films carry serious issues to the forefront and induce social debate. Not only has it turned out to be the best way for cultural promotion, but also generates revenues for the country.

Lollywood, on the other hand, has generally catered only to a local audience. The 70s saw a period of film and theatre flourishing unhindered, and the industry boasted of around 1300 Cinema houses in the country. By 2005, however, the Pakistan COA (Cinema Owners Association) estimated the number to have come down to less than 400, most having been converted to more profitable sources of income such as shopping malls, car showrooms etc. Less than 60 films a year are now being produced, where up to 300 a year was the norm.

The reasons are numerous. Pakistan has not had a consistent policy for its film industry that could satisfy the evolving values of its society and cater to the priorities of the policy-makers at the same time. Repeatedly, the Film Producers Association (FPA) has urged the government to support them in the promotion of this visual art form, since it holds universal appeal – language barriers being overcome with dubbing and subtitles.

Secondly, the technical side of film production also needs attention – theme/script, musical score, recording facilities, standard of choreography and even direction requires improvement. The themes are generally formulaic – escapism remains the favourite – and revolve around love, revenge and/or happy endings; hardly a reflection of the society infested with serious issues like poverty, illiteracy, lawlessness and the like. The element of quality entertainment seems elusive at best. Recently, though, one Pakistani director, Shoaib Mansoor produced a film titled’ ‘Khuda key liye’ (‘In the name of God’) which is a thought-provoking and serious film, though it has its moments of humour and lighthearted fun. It explores issues of multicultural dimensions. The film focuses on a changed – sometimes even confusing, and hostile – post 9/11 world as viewed through the eyes of its various characters. It offers perceptions worth pondering. Screened in Pakistan and abroad, this film has earned international acclaim for its realistic projection of a serious present day concern. Considering the good business this film has done on box office, it might herald the start of a new era in film-making in Pakistan.

Cinema owners in Pakistan have for many years stressed the need for screening Bollywood productions in the country to feed the empty cinema houses as local production is falling way short of requirement – the ban on import of Indian films was imposed after the 1965 war. Contrarily, the film-makers are apprehensive and fear being wiped out completely, conscious that their own films provide no competition whatsoever. Despite the hostility between the neighbours, Bollywood films have always been popular in Pakistan. That resulted in a mushroom growth of video shops selling pirated copies of latest Bollywood flicks over the years. Recent decision of the government to allow screening of the latest Bollywood film, ‘Welcome’ is a major shift in policy after 43 long years. This limited lifting of the ban implies that only a fixed number of select films would be imported, with an equal number of Pakistani flicks to be exported in exchange.

Pakistan also has to settle the issue of rising religious sentiment against perceived vulgarity from Indian or western cinema. This fear of a strong reaction from the conservatives is something that has to be taken seriously into account before such decisions can be effectively implemented. It is no secret how in the recent past many CD shops in the more conservative NWFP have been burned down and shop keepers harassed for selling DVDs of Hollywood and Bollywood films. Any recreational activity that suffers social censure and does not have popular support is unlikely to draw in much audience. Visiting the cinema or theatre is among the preferred recreational activities of most people looking for some quality family-time together. Therefore, such issues need to be resolved before active cinema-going can be looked upon with enthusiasm by the general public.

Cinema is a reflection of social values and norms. Quality productions resulting in good attendance signify the maturity of aesthetic sensibilities in a society. Cinema-going should be nurtured as an industry that would not only bring in revenue but also counter aggression and provide a healthy outlet to the recreation starved populace.


Mar, 2008 SouthAsia Magazine