THE ICON REVIEW: SWIPE TO SUCCESS
Arafat Mazhar’s Swipe, a hand-painted animated short film, forces us to look at our blasphemy industry in a different light
Fahad Naveed
THE SECRETS SOCIETY
In a culture where so many things are treated as secrets, people are constantly looking for safe spaces to speak.
DOCUMENTARY: DEATH AND THE MAIDEN
Kirsten Johnson’s Dick Johnson Is Dead is a tale of familial bonds, friendship and loss that will resonate universally
STREAMING: AMERICA’S FOUNDING MUSICAL
After making waves on Broadway and becoming a cultural phenomenon, the stage play Hamilton is finally available to watch online
WIDE ANGLE: A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, IN MY PYJAMAS
Covid-19 has forced the closure of theatres around the world, but now audiences can enjoy performances online for free
THE ICON REVIEW: SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT
Meticulously created and executed passion projects such as the hand-painted Shehr-e-Tabassum are few and far between
THE WAR OF NARRATIVES
A year after the Balakot strikes, both India and Pakistan are still pitching their version of events to the world.
Parasite is a timely film about class inequality
Parasite may be based in Seoul but it could just as easily be set in any metropolis with uneven division of wealth.
CINEMASCOPE: A CLASS APART
Above all, Parasite is a story about class and inequality. It is a great study in how the rich see the poor
FEUDS OF THE DECADE
The feuds that defined the past 10 years in Pakistan and could influence the country in the coming decade as well
How do Pakistani movies wind up at international film festivals?
In the absence of such institutions, filmmakers will have to continue looking outwards for support.
SPOTLIGHT: A BRIDGE TOO FAR
A closer look at Pakistan's presence on the international film festival circuit
SPOTLIGHT: ‘MAKING IT’ IN THE MOVIES
Three recent films — Baaji, Parey Hut Love and Superstar — all offer commentaries on what their filmmakers think it
Big Tobacco perils
The back and forth in tobacco-related policies is nothing new.
Thousands were stranded due to Pakistan's airspace closures. I was one of them
It is good to finally be able to return.
Pakistani food vendor serves 'halal' to New Yorkers
Halal food business is booming in Manhattan, but many people don't even know what the word means.
No Time to Sleep demonstrates the power of silence in performance art
The project’s concept reminded me of famous performance artist Marina Abramovic’s 2010 piece, The Artist is Present.
NON-FICTION: DIRECTORS’ CUTS
Viewing modern Hindi cinema from the perspective of its filmmakers
A LANGUAGE FAR FROM HOME
Changing times
Urdu at the NYU
“THAT day, everyone who learned about the death reached [our home] immediately....
New York’s ‘Urdu-wallahs’ want to help young Pakistan-Americans rediscover their roots
These New Yorkers are working to promote Urdu reading and writing in the Big Apple.