For the world, June 21, is said to be the longest day of the year. For the French, it marks the first day of summer in France and observed as a popular festival for the last two decades. For Pakistanis, it calls for birthday celebrations of the ‘Daughter of the East’, Benazir Bhutto. While the world continues to enjoy the hottest day of the year, the French dance and party on June 21, the poor Pakistanis remain deprived of the jubilation of the day since the birthday girl has not been around for some years.
However, when in Rome do as the Romans do. To relive the day as they do in France, the French ambassador Pierre Charasse arranged a musical evening for his friends and colleagues in the Islamabad. A French trio of Alaim Brunet, Pierre Raboulleau and Jerome Regard, specially flew in to Islamabad from Paris for the occasion. The French musicians were joined by three Pakistani musicians, Mohammad Ajmal, Ejaz Hussain and Salman Adil to perform a fusion in front of a live audience.
The venue, surprisingly, was the residence of the French ambassador in the diplomatic enclave, who had his house opened for the event. It goes without saying that it takes a lot of guts to invite people in the no-go area, for security risks are not limited to President Musharraf only.
Although the French and Pakistani musicians had little time to practice together, the music they produced was truly amusing and entertaining. “June 21 marks the first day of summer in France and the end of the academic year in the country. The weather in France on the day is generally very nice and it is the shortest night of the year, with the sun setting very late. People of all age groups are out, celebrating the festival and enjoying life and it is the music which expresses these sentiments and atmosphere. Music knows no frontiers and it allows an authentic dialogue of cultures,” said Mr Charasse, only too pleased to introduce the tradition in Pakistan.
YESTERDAY AND TODAY
In our society, it’s not only the fathers but also fathers-in-law who play an important role in influencing or changing the lives of their sons-in-law, in view of a better future for their daughters. One such person is the Lollywood film star, who was actually known as Nazir Baig, but renamed Nadeem for a better future by his father-in-law. The change of name brought him health, wealth and fortune, and changed the entire pattern of his life.
Nadeem belongs to an era known as the golden period of Pakistani cinema, with contemporaries such as Waheed Murad and Mohammad Ali and seniors Santosh Kumar and Darpan. Besides working with (director turned father-in-law) Ihtesham, in his debut film Chakori, Nadeem has worked with many well-known directors such as Pervaiz Malik (Gumnam, Sachai, Talaash, Peechan) and Nazrul Islam (Aaina, Zindigi, Bandish, Ambar).
Although stars move on from the small screen to the big one, the demands of time (and age) made him go the other way round. Ready to flaunt his flamboyant past, he shifted his attention to explore the medium of television and has no regrets. Of course, he doesn’t take the hero slot anymore, but TV dramas and serials still portray him as a central character.
Last week, our hero took the Islooites (females of all ages) by surprise. He was in the Capital to receive a Rotary Gold Medallion for recognition of his life-time contribution to the Pakistani film industry. The occasion was the grand annual event of the Rotary Club Islamabad. Although he comes across the screen as a vibrant personality, the magnitude he exudes through the screen is far less compared to real life.
Recipient of umpteen awards besides the Presidential Pride of Performance, Nadeem appreciated the fact that the award was from an organization that works for the underprivileged of society. “I have received many awards in my life, but Rotary’s Gold Medallion would remain very special to me, more prestigious and more honourable,” he said. The ceremony ended with a classical performance by Asad Amanat Ali till the wee hours of the morning.
For the world, June 21, is said to be the longest day of the year. For the French, it marks the first day of summer in France and observed as a popular festival for the last two decades. For Pakistanis, it calls for birthday celebrations of the ‘Daughter of the East’, Benazir Bhutto. While the world continues to enjoy the hottest day of the year, the French dance and party on June 21, the poor Pakistanis remain deprived of the jubilation of the day since the birthday girl has not been around for some years.
