A decade after 9/11, Pakistan inspires Hollywood for all the wrong reasons

A Femme Fatale from Waziristan?

By Laaleen Sukhera Khan

(Warning: Contains Law and Order SVU spoilers from episode 299 ‘Acceptable Loss.’ Also contains several cringe-worthy *facepalm moments).

TV’s new villain is a virginal seductress from Waziristan.

Hollywood is making efforts to humanize militants and would-be terrorists from this part of the world. A recent Stanford-NYU study might have had something to do with this: http://livingunderdrones.org/report/

Call me masochistic, but I love crime (as long as it’s within fiction). I grew up on Agatha Christie and have had more than my share of Law & Order shows, http://www.nbc.com/Law_and_Order/ whose storylines are often inspired by actual news reports. SVU marathons http://www.nbc.com/law-and-order-special-victims-unit/ sometimes make me sick to my stomach, but there’s something to be said for watching rapists and pedophiles actually get caught and dealt with in a court of law.

So when I recently watched Law and Order SVU's current season online, I was taken aback by the show’s 299^th episode, ‘Acceptable Loss.’ It started off with sex trafficking—vulnerable young immigrants from Latin America and Eastern Europe exploited by violent New York pimps into prostitution. But the show’s terrorism side plot is what really stood out; the villain was an attractive young woman in a clingy mini-dress posing as a hooker who was actually—wait for it—a gal from Waziristan out to take revenge on the drone strikes by bombing Manhattan.

The premise is admirable; American and international viewers need to know that civilians and rescues workers are being bombed side by side with suspected terrorists.  However, the rendering could have been more detailed and even more sympathetic. The character Sofia was oblivious to the plight of the sex workers surrounding her, which I find very hard to believe. Any woman would be moved to tears unless she was a madam herself! For someone with so much anger towards exploited people from the developing world dealt with injustices, she was sure thick-skinned towards her own sex.

There was interestingly no mention of ‘Pakistan’ on the show. It seems that enough people have heard of Waziristan to know where it is! And, refreshingly, not one mention of clichéd rhetoric referring to ‘jihad,’ ‘honour killing’ or ‘the war on terror.’ Finally!

According to the storyline, by some miracle, Al-Q has expanded their female recruitment http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/06/analysis-women-and-children-constitute-the-new-faces-of-terror/  beyond a so-called ‘burqa brigade’ http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/al-qaeda-s-all-female-burkha-brigade-to-hit-western-targets-285708 and enlisted the help of svelte would-be prostitutes in terrorizing NYC.

At first glance, the character Sofia seems like a Victoria’s Secret model in her form-fitting garb that highlights her limbs. You’d think she was Latina with her looks or Eastern European with her accent; she mostly gets her ‘v’s and ‘t’s right but to our ears, she still sounds a little foreign, a bit like how we’d imagine a non-American vampire.

When you think of a Muslim or Pakistani woman in popular media, she’s usually either subservient and pathetic or a strong survivor. She is often the victim of stereotypical ignorance and cruelty: either acid-blasted or in danger of being murdered by her nearest and dearest via honour killing.

The guise of a provocative hooker is at least refreshingly different, given that she’s also a victim of circumstances. Like Gotham City villains in Batman movies, Sofia has undergone a traumatizing experience that has caused her to turn dark. In her case, it’s drone attacks in Waziristan that have overturned her ethics.

Sofia is embittered by the killing of her civilian father, a doctor who rushed to aid victims of a drone strike and became a victim of a secondary ‘double-tap’

 strike himself, like thousands before him.

But hey, it’s OK—Sofia’s only pretending to be a prostitute. She’s still a virgin, of course. Because she’s Muslim and there aren’t millions spent on hymenoplasties http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8641099.stm in Saudi every year http://www.novasans.com/hymenoplasty/saudi-arabia/ .  Just like all Catholics in the world are celibate unless they’re married and never, ever get a divorce.

Sofia doesn’t bat an eyelid when women around her get exploited, beaten and raped, but she’d never get a real tattoo because she’s a good Muslim (*facepalm)! Of course, no one in the Muslim world has ever gotten a tattoo either http://www.hning.asia/2009/01/tattooed-muslim-observes-daily-prayers.html , we just stick to henna.

I asked actor Evgeniya Radilova, who played Sofia, if there was anything in the storyline that she found perplexing. “Is there anything that you’d change in hindsight, or provide as advice to the show’s writers or producers?”

Her reply: “I think that the writer for Law and Order and many other big TV Shows, Ed Zuckerman did a phenomenal job in this complex story. Unfortunately, the show is only one hour long and there is not enough time to see the whole journey of these characters. But Ed Zuckerman picks the most important moment and tells a beautiful and very meaningful story.” Read more at http://tribune.com.pk/story/462671/tvs-bond-girl-from-waziristan/

A blog post on warcosts.com states: “…The U.S. government does not officially recognize drone use by the CIA in those countries” (i.e. Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia). “Shows like SVU provide a media spotlight to expose the effects of what has happened and puts the topic on the minds of the public.” http://www.warcosts.com/law_and_order_svu_features_double_tap_procedure_of_drone_strikes  

So yes, on the one hand, we’re glad it’s finally part of popular media.

On the other hand, we wish the writers did just a little more research…like asking us!

Dialogue from 3 Key Scenes:

Characters:

Sofia (Evgeniya Radilova);

Lietenant Alexandra ‘Alex’ Eames from the City/Federal Homeland Task Force (Kathryn Erbe);

Detective Olivia ‘Liv’ Benson of the NYPD’s Manhattan Special Victims Unit (Mariska Hargitay).

CAPTURING SOFIA IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING:

Lt. Eames captures Sofia and smudges her tattoo with her saliva-laden thumb, proving it to be fake.

Lt. Eames: “Did you know that tattoos were forbidden in Islam?” (*facepalm moment). The team enters a room where a Faisal Shahzad lookalike posing as a ‘john’ (played by Shehryar ‘Shezi’ Sardar) is trying to detonate explosives. He’s knocked down and captured by Det. Nick Amaro (Danny Pino).

SOFIA’S INTERROGATION AT HOMELAND SECURITY:

Sofia: “I keep telling you, I don’t know about bombs. I was just there to have sex!” (*facepalm yet again: no woman in Pakistan would ever admit to that. She’d rather admit to bombing!).

Lt. Eames: “No. See, Sofia, we’re way past that. We can have you examined, and when we do, we’re going to find out you’re a virgin, aren’t we?” (*facepalm once more!).

Sofia: “How can a whore be a virgin!”

Det. Benson: “She can’t…It must have been awful for you, living in that house.”

Lt. Eames: “I’m sure you had a good reason. What happened to you?”

Sofia: “You know what happened to me.”

Lt. Eames: “No, I don’t. I want to understand. What happened, did it happen to you? To someone in your family? You’re from Waziristan. Which village? Don’t you think people should know? They call you a terrorist. Don’t you think they should understand? Don’t you want them to understand?”

Sofia: “My father was a doctor. A drone struck some people near where we lived. My father went to help, to tend the wounded. He was not a fighter. He was trying to save lives, stop the bleeding. And then, another drone hit. Your government targets the rescuers. It is standard policy. My father, he was blown into pieces. We buried the ones we could find.”

Det. Benson: “So you came here.”

Sofia: “This is where the drones came from.”

Det. Benson: “And you hid among girls who were being raped, who were enslaved. And you let that happen.”

Sofia: “I was sorry for them. But there are so many people to be sorry for.”

BENSON AND EAMES UNWINDING AT A BAR:

Det. Benson: “It’s a rough story about the father.”

Lt. Eames: “They all have a reason. Something.”

Det. Benson: “And that’s how you break ‘em? Get ‘em to tell their story?”

Lt. Eames: “Isn’t that how you do it?”

More storylines incorporating Pakistan:

The Last Resort

Medium: TV drama series on the ABC network, currently in its first season.

Premise: In the pilot episode, a US submarine crew takes refuge on an island after refusing to launch a nuclear missile attack on Pakistan. A later episode shows a plot twist which results in the brutal bombing of Pakistan: 2 missiles detonate, killing 8.5 million of us (shudder). The upside: we’re not the villains. Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/09/homeland-vs-last-resort-the-war-we-have-vs-the-war-wed-like/262949/

SEAL Team Six: The Raid on Osama bin Laden

Medium: A documentary-style made-for-TV film containing interviews and archival footage. Produced by the Weinstein Company for the National Geographic Channel. Accused of increasing support for Obama by including presidential footage and broadcasting it two days before the presidential election.

Premise: Director John Stockwell blogs on the Daily Beast: “The movie focuses on the men and women in the intelligence community who tracked and located Osama bin Laden, the local nationals in Pakistan who assisted us at great cost to their own safety, and the highly skilled members of SEAL Team Six who brought the world’s most wanted man to justice.” http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/10/29/seal-team-6-director-my-movie-isn-t-propaganda.html 

Zero Dark Thirty

Medium: Motion picture produced by Sony Pictures and directed by producer-director Katherine Bigelow. For theatrical release in January, in time for the Oscars.

Premise: A grittier take on the gazillion dollar manhunt for the elusive OBL http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/5752/media-madness-revisiting-osamas-fortress-mansion/ .  Bigelow explains the title in an email interview with Entertainment Weekly http://insidemovies.ew.com/2012/08/06/zero-dark-thirty-first-look/ : “It’s a military term for 30 minutes after midnight, and it refers also to the darkness and secrecy that cloaked the entire decade long mission.”

Life's a blast in Pakistan!

http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/7132/pakistan-where-life-can-be-a-blast/

Deflating Pakistan’s ‘soft’ image and pumping out a tourism slogan

Laaleen Khan

The ‘enlightened moderation’ mantra of the Musharraf era prompted Pakistan’s oft-quoted ‘soft image.’ Seen as a much-needed leap beyond archetypal vistas of K-2 and the Lahore Fort (think 1970s photographs issued by PIA and the Ministry of Tourism), well-meant consultants were hired for the purpose of promoting a progressive image for the country—or at least, that’s what the aim was in flying out designers and models to put on fashion shows at Pakistani Consulates around the world. One can almost imagine spectators gawking, “Gosh, they have women in their country who don’t wear a burkha and aren’t getting stoned for modeling?” Er…yeah.


The Jolie Effect:

Even the glamour of Hollywood was meant to echo our new liberality, not by inviting big budget productions (A Mighty Heart, Angelina Jolie’s biopic on the Daniel Pearl killing, was filmed in India after being denied in Pakistan), but by maximizing on Ms. Jolie’s UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador duties in Pakistan. Angie’s tasks here have invariably involved shaking hands and posing for a lot of photographs with government officials and their extended families, in between her worthy visits to refugee camps. Here, one can imagine readers’ surprise, “look how excited Pakistanian officials are to meet Angelina!”

Unsurprisingly, neither Pakistani bridal couture nor Ms. Jolie’s formal sit downs with Pakistani heads of state from the last few administrations have succeeded in dispelling our international personification as a nation of angry, bearded men in puffy white shalwar kameezes who have fan posters of Al Qayda and the Tally-ban on their bedroom walls.  


A 'Soft Image?'
In terms of photography, a ‘soft image’ refers to a blurry, out-of-focus projection of reality that’s more pleasing to the viewer in that it’s flattering and softens the edges, like on soap operas or fairness-cream advertisements. However, in this age of real-time Twitter, Facebook and citizen journalism, it’s not so easy pull to wool over people’s eyes because audiences want the real deal, not its Photoshopped version. For example, India’s yoga-ashram-kamasutra exoticism and kitsch song-and-dance culture is heavily promoted by both its Tourism Ministry’s advertising gurus (‘Incredible !ndia’),  Bollywood flicks and schmaltzy Hollywood movies like ‘Eat Pray Love’, but it takes one British Slumdog Millionaire to remind the world of the dismal urban realities of modern-day India (to the dismay of Mr. Bachchan Sr. and other promoters of celluloid lifestyles consisting of choreographed dancing and sequined outfits).

Tourism slogans
Back to our side of the border, there’s nothing heartwarming, nor glamorous, nor tourist-friendly to be called The World’s Most Dangerous Country by Newsweek (which we hotly denied at the time but then acceded with a shrug) and so many other things since then (we’ve lost count). Now, Malaysia (‘Truly Asia’) is a Muslim country where both tourists and locals can enjoy themselves without being ogled, whether it’s swimming at a beach, watching a concert, going dancing at a club or sipping a martini at a bar. Locals either join in or look the other way. The same goes for the UAE (‘Nowhere Like Dubai’), Indonesia (‘Wonderful Indonesia’), Turkey (‘A Never Ending Tale’), the Maldives (‘Sunny Side of Life’), Morocco (‘The Most Beautiful Country in the World’), Egypt (‘Where It All Begins’), Jordan (‘Takes You Beyond’/’Explore The Hidden Treasure’), and many other Muslim countries which have a strong influx of tourism dollars despite potential civil unrest and a strong, positive brand identity in the world…something we desperately need, if only we would take a pragmatic approach to our fledgling tourism industry.

Now that we’ve established our dire need for an image overhaul and a tourism slogan (and ‘Soft Image’ and ‘Visit Pakistan’ are NOT slogans), how about some new taglines for discerning visitors:

·      Where Life Can Be A Blast (dark humour)

·      Destination Pakistan

·      We (Heart) Pakistan (for our die-hard expats who buy out PIA)

·      Fab Pakistan (i.e. the cooler side of Pakistan beyond tired, old stereotypes)

·      Grow With Pakistan (investors, this means you)

·      Authentically Pakistan

·      Purely Pakistan

·      A Cultural Paradise

·      An Experience Like No Other

·      Fascinating Pakistan

·      Rich in History, Warm in Hospitality (awww)

Finale night review of Sunsilk Fashion Week 2011--Lahore, Pakistan

http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/5207/sunsilk-fashion-week-fashion-loves-drama/

Sunsilk fashion week: Fashion loves drama

April 3, 2011

Attendees were a mix of industry professionals, local and foreign media, retail buyers, designers’ clients, families and friends, with appearances by local icons like US Consul General Carmela Conroy—resplendent in an HSY embroidered gown—Samina Peerzada, Tahira Syed and designers Umar Sayeed, Rizwan Beyg et all.The Sunsilk Fashion Week in Lahore was held at the Expo Centre. It was a spacious venue and ideal to promote the professionalism that is meant to accompany Fashion Week.

Happily, the number of sleazy uncles attending to check out models has reduced considerably from preceding years; perhaps this has something to do with the drive through jam-packed traffic to Jauhar Town, the several hours’ wait for the event to start, and the whopping ten fashion shows in a row which require a strong constitution.

Our local paparazzi consists of red carpet interviews for TV channels; people schmoozing up to photographers to get, yes, photographed; women hamming it up in their characteristic poses while insisting to see their photos in preview mode for approval; and the general in-your-face telephoto lens that transforms everyone who breathes into a local celebrity for just walking in.

The audience vibe

The audience enjoyed Ali Xeeshan’s glittery bridals and mehndi-inspired palette, Ammar Belal’s airy cheetah prints, Zara Shahjahan’s girly summer florals and pretty much every moment leading up to and comprising the HSY finalé show—the  motivation behind their determination to sit through some less spectacular shows.

There was interest in some of the other collections, including Adnan Pardesy’s structured look, Feeha Jamshed’s voluminous shalwars, gathered shirts and ghararas at TeeJays and the Malini-Ramani-esque designs at FnkAsia.

Judging from the women’s comments in the row behind me (and Mr Peerzada’s agonized expression in the front row!) a portion of the audience wasn’t too thrilled by Emraan Rajput’s sobmre black crow-like collection, which opened with a caped suit. Attendees’ excitement was generally reserved for glittering formal wear, new lawn prints that they hadn’t yet devoured at an exhibition, all things cheetah and familiar faces walking the runway for fellow designers (Hassan Shehreyar catwalked three times and several other designers went into runway-model mode for their friends).

• The Verdict: Ammar Belal

Ammar Belal’s juxtaposition of exotic colonial African glamour, with contemporary references to Roberto Cavalli’s mismatched cheetah prints and Ralph Lauren’s safari chic, was definitely worth the wait. Complemented by worn leather luggage, hunting rifles (which must have been a security nightmare!), tawny makeup and glamorously frizzed hair, Belal’s superb Africanesque line showcased flowing animal-print chiffons, sexy tan hide, tailored white linen and his signature bedazzled rock star jeans—this time with leather patches.

Translation to overseas markets: A.

Wear-ability in Pakistan: A.

• The Verdict: Ali Xeeshan

The celebratory drama of Ali Xeeshan featured adorably absurd birdcage accessories with ‘Nefertiti-meets-Marie-Antoinette-with-a-gharra’ headgear that added depth to his striking ethnic styles. The sheer floor-length veils that covered some of the models—flowing from striking headgear to sweeping train—evoked the ethereal magic that makes Elie Saab so popular with Middle Eastern royalty and Hollywood A-listers, though some adaptation would be necessary to relate to other markets.

Translation to overseas markets: B.

Wear-ability in Pakistan: A.

• The Verdict: HSY

The prominence of the HSY über-label within Pakistani popular culture was demonstrated by live, throbbing music and a psychedelic-meets-patriotic Jinnah montage that served as a backdrop to well-cut gowns with a signature motif, along with his-and-hers lawn prints that debuted Yasin’s upcoming lawn collection.

Translation to overseas markets: A.

Wear-ability in Pakistan: A.

• The Verdict: FnkAsia

FnkAsia’s collection looked uncomfortably reminiscent to Malini Rumani’s even funkier showing at the 2010 TRC Carnivale de Couture in Lahore. The vivid, chunky accessories did seem like a great retail offering—unless they’re only meant for the runway—but the jumpsuits and the overall boho look were a step or two behind international trends.

Translation to overseas markets: B.

Wear-ability in Pakistan: B.

• The Verdict: Zarah Shahjahan

The wearable, carefree summer silhouettes at Zara Shahjahan featured flowing lawns with pretty lace and net detailing, ladylike pink florals, a snazzy black red-carpet outfit and an ode to the 60s in a sheer chiffon churidar, with a short tunic that featured button detailing in the back.

Translation to overseas markets: C.

Wear-ability in Pakistan: A.

• The Verdict: TeeJay’s

As a high street every-day brand, an element of practicality is essential among statement pieces for the runway. One can picture college students wearing TeeJay’s voluminous cotton ghararas to classes, professionals wearing them to work and mothers wearing them on school runs. Yes, ghararas. Sigh.

Translation to overseas markets: C.

Wear-ability in Pakistan: C.

The swag was a drag

Pirate booty or promotional freebies given to celebrities and attendees of events, swags are an effective way to promote hot new consumer items among a targeted demographic. Okay, so we didn’t get complimentary iPads and Caribbean vacations like they do in Hollywood, but I got a long-stemmed red rose and perfume samples from Scentsations, a bottle of Pond’s moisturizer and some Adidas deodorant (yippee?), but didn’t get the coveted Balmain or HSY swag bags (I cheered up after discovering the one labeled “HSY prints” contained chocolate rather than lawn).

Swag score: a dismal 2/4.

Suggestions for next year:

1. Beef up the ushers or pre-allocate the seats:

You have to love fashion to endure the chaos of not getting your promised front row seat and sitting at someone’s feet on the stairs, standing next to the videographer or watching from atop a distant balcony. Either the ushers should be scary-looking aunties that people actually listen to (instead of meek little girls in black t-shirts) or tickets should contain pre-allocated seat numbers to prevent attendees from playing musical chairs every time there’s a break.  And the entire coveted front row should have the names of its intended occupants taped securely, so the signs aren’t floating around the floor.

2. Reduce speech time:

Another time saver—incorporate the lengthy ‘thank you’s and corporate messages into a screen presentation that can be shown during intervals and the two to three hours that audiences are waiting for the show to kick off. The finale should come rapidly after the other shows, not after a substantial narrative segment—unless you serve dinner during the finale, so audiences don’t faint from hunger; we’re not models, after all!