A Passion Chronicle

Published in Ad Gallery Vivo

Vol 3, Issue 7

By

[Sadaf Fayyaz]

What your favorite stars state about their biggest passion, is something that would interest you a lot. There is no human in this world, without any passion. Yet some people may be unaware of their true or biggest passion. According to Brian Norris, “Passion is a gift of the spirit combined with the totality of all the experiences we've lived through. It endows each of us with the power to live and communicate with unbridled enthusiasm.” This is something straight from the hearts of different celebrities. They talked about their passions: 

 “My biggest passion is definitely music and it always strengthens me to deal with all the obstacles in life. It is the main driving force behind whatever I have achieved so far. It helps me to strive for more and fight all the challenges in life because it brings a lot of energy and positivity in me. “Ali Sher 

“I feel my biggest passion is excelling in the field of arts especially show business. It helps me obtain my aims and objectives of life which are to be a good human being and learn as much as I can. It exposes me to different faculties which are thought provoking and makes me interact with different people from diverse backgrounds which serve as a big boost to my learning curve. Since I am a professional banker too and show business is my only passion, it takes its toll at times since banking is an equally demanding field. But I must say that over the years, I have learnt the art of time management, for which I am grateful to my IBA Dean and Director Dr. Wahab, for time management teachings.  I enjoy both the fields and this keeps me going!” Farooq Hasan

“That would be to be somebody whom people can look up to and count on. I want everyone around me to be happy and I want myself to be so strong that when people might need me and my help, I would be able to say ‘yes’ and I would be able to help them.  I want everyone around me to feel that they have someone they can count on no matter what.... that is my passion ... I don’t know if I am making any sense but I can’t live this life just for myself, but live for others. People live for themselves. If I do the same, there would be no difference between me and them. When I am gone, I want everyone to miss me, when I’ll die my head would be high.” Nouman Javaid 

 “My biggest passion is music and I want to express my feelings via music. If I have any obstacles that interfere with my passion, I slowly try to minimize the obstacles and focus more on my passion. A famous quote says ‘Where there is a will, there is a way ‘.” Kami Jee 

“My passion in life is to make films I believe in. As nothing comes easy in life, I look at all the obstacles as a means to get one step closer to my objective.” Adil Sher

 

“Other than just doing what I love, I guess I'm driven by making my mark in history, being memorable and proving to those who ever doubted me or were indifferent to me wrong. I only have one life, nothing after. And I want to make the most of it. Nothing will stop me from doing that.” Adil Omar

“My biggest passion is of course acting and I have been very passionate to give the best in my serials. I have received so much respect, love and acceptance for just being what I am. Acting is a serious career and one cannot it take it as a hobby. Achievement comes at the cost of hard work. Acting is like a little child in you who keeps exploring new things in you. With the passage of time, I think I have had my share. There isn’t any place where you don’t face any difficulties or obstacles and Television is no different, I remember there was a time when new dramas were coming in and almost every channel was competing with Indian Media but we continued to produce some good dramas that finally forced the audience to change their minds. Now, I think Pakistani audience loves watching Pakistani dramas, since I witnessed an encouraging feedback that keeps me on my toes. I just want to continue doing some good work and I feel responsible to project Pakistani media in International arena. For this, most of the senior actors are working towards it and we all very hopeful (touch wood). Adnan Siddiqui 

“For me my biggest passion is first of all praying to my Allah, then my singing and my family. These passions have helped me overcome all obstacles and attain all my aims in life.” Zille Huma 

“My biggest passion is to never stop playing music. My aim and objective is to have my own album out and to see that music comes back in to the hearts of our fans. Barriers will never stop but the most important thing is to break all the barriers. I as a musician and as many find it difficult to get rid of the current obstacles, but one can go on and never give up. I will always be a true and passionate musician and try to bring out the best from my heart, love and peace.”  Allan Smith 

“My only passion is to be a recognized/world acknowledged Director with my own established production house and a banner that produces films with conceptual value. 
My life! I am one of the fortunate ones who have had a chance to do what is my passion. Acting and direction are my life and my passion. My entire existence is driven by my passion. This work is my life and I live my passion every day. My closest friends and family are part of this field and together we live a life of envy as some would say. My passion is the force that drives my life and every day I feel it in my gut and through my achievements that I am moving closer to my goals.

Obstacles & Barriers! This is a difficult line of work as there are many fine lines that are crossed by many and to keep yourself straight and honest is what some say is an obstacle in itself. However; I have my strict stance that there is nothing that cannot be overcome with diligence, hard work and honesty. These have been my strengths and these have brought me further than anything else could have. Daily obstacles and barriers are a part of this industry but then these are the very things that turn you into a stronger, more successful person. As a woman of course problems are two-fold as it is tougher to be recognized, tougher to make your mark as a director/producer. Yet; I have been fortunate in this also. My friends and the people in this industry have been helpful and kind also especially my business partner Bilal Sami with whom I have a production house "KCGL". Nadia Afgan 

“My biggest passion is making music, or rather seeing music happen through me. I have come to believe firmly in the fact that if we follow our passion, our dream genuinely, single-mindedly and patiently - all our other needs will be taken care of by the grace of the One. Obstacles are immensely necessary in order to 'hone' my craft, my intent and my passion - therefore the strange fact that art and music often flourish in conditions of social/political/religious repression!”Arieb Azhar 

 “My passion is to create- to translate a feeling, a vision into a reality, more like a fabrication of my thoughts!- Obstacles occur on both levels visual and otherwise-the key is to overcome them without compromising your vision!- so- it is usually hard but long enough in the business, one gets to learn how to handle such issues well.” Fahad Hussayn

All About Suicide

"Suicide, Durkheim's third major work, is of great importance because it is his first serious effort to establish an empericism in sociology, an empiricism that would provide a sociological explanation for a phenomenon traditionally regarded as exclusively psychological and individualistic.

Durkheim proposed this definition of suicide: "the term suicide is applied to all cases of death resulting directly or indirectly from a positive or negative act of the victim himself, which he knows wil produce this result" (1982, p. 110 [excerpt from Suicide]). Durkheim used this definition to separate true suicides from accidental deaths. He then collected several European nations' suicide rate statistics, which proved to be relatively constant among those nations and among smaller demographics within those nations. Thus, a collective tendency towards suicide was discovered.

Of equal importance to his methodology, Durkheim drew theoretical conclusions on the social causes of suicide. He proposed four types of suicide, based on the degrees of imbalance of two social forces: social integration and moral regulation.

Egoisitic suicide resulted from too little social integration. Those individuals who were not sufficiently bound to social groups (and therefore well-defined values, traditions, norms, and goals) were left with little social support or guidance, and therefore tended to commit suicide on an increased basis. An example Durkheim discovered was that of unmarried people, particularly males, who, with less to bind and connect them to stable social norms and goals, committed suicide at higher rates than unmarried people.

The second type, Altruistic suicide, was a result of too much integration. It occurred at the opposite end of the integration scale as egoistic suicide. Self sacrifice was the defining trait, where individuals were so integrated into social groups that they lost sight of their individuality and became willing to sacrifice themselves to the group's interests, even if that sacrifice was their own life. The most common cases of altruistic suicide occurred among members of the military.

On the second scale, that of moral regulation, lies the other two forms of suicide, the first of which is Anomic suicide, located on the low end. Anomic suicide was of particular interest to Durkheim, for he divided it into four categories: acute and chronic economic anomie, and acute and chronic domestic anomie. Each involved an imbalance of means and needs, where means were unable to fulfill needs.

Each category of anomic suicide can be described briefly as follows:
Acute economic anomie: sporadic decreases in the ability of traditional institutions (such as religion, guilds, pre-industrial social systems, etc.) to regulate and fulfill social needs.
Chronic economic anomie: long term dimunition of social regulation. Durkheim identified this type with the ongoing industrial revolution, which eroded traditional social regulators and often failed to replace them. Industrial goals of wealth and property were insufficient in providing happiness, as was demonstrated by higher suicide rates among the wealthy than among the poor.
Acute domestic anomie: sudden changes on the microsocial level resulted in an inability to adapt and therefore higher suicide rates. Widowhood is a prime example of this type of anomie.
Chronic domestic anomie: referred to the way marriage as an institution regulated the sexual and behavioral means-needs balance among men and women. Marriage provided different regulations for each, however. Bachelors tended to commit suicide at higher rates than married men because of a lack of regulation and established goals and expectations. On the other hand, marriage has traditionally served to overregulate the lives of women by further restricting their already limited opportunities and goals. Unmarried women, therefore, do not experience chronic domestic anomie nearly as often as do unmarried men.

The final type of suicide is Fatalistic suicide, "at the high extreme of the regulation continuum" (1982, p. 113). This type Durkheim only briefly describes, seeing it as a rare phenomena in the real world. Examples include those with overregulated, unrewarding lives such as slaves, childless married women, and young husbands. Durkheim never specifies why this type is generally unimportant in his study."

I even read his theory on suicide and Banu Qudsia Raja Gidh too. But I am still unable to understand it. What I wish to say is that so many suicide bombings and killings in our country, how are these classified? Is a collective suicide or accidental death that takes away so many lives? His terminolgy seperates out suicide from accidental deaths.Are social forces boosting this process? Dont know how to categorize it.Where would you put the story of a girl who being a cancer patient refuses chemotherapy to continue her pregnancy, and dies  soon after giving birth to a healthy kid.Where does one put mercy killing or Euthanasia (when doctors kill some patient suffereing from an incurable disease) or the process of "Harakiri" in Japan? What kind does this fall into? Where do honor suicide, forced suicide and Seppuku lie?

(Excerpts from the Book)

(Excerpts from the Book)

“Shahi is an awesome friend, great teacher, a true believer in the power of music, an innocent soul and one hell of a bass player. “            Faisal Rafi

“Shahzad Hassan Shahi would always hold a very special place in my heart for introducing me to the biggest miracle that I have seen in my life ''the understanding of Quran '' Shahi is a dreamer, a fighter and a true genius unfortunately not as business minded as his other colleagues are but the gifts he possesses are far superior ...his production of my third solo album Jaisay Chaho (Aao wahan chalain) was way ahead of its time, India is now waking up to that pop rock sound. I would appreciate if you do not miss anything I have said about him.” Najam Sheraz

 “History knows him as one of the forces behind the Vital Signs. The groove maker of VS. He is one of the best music producers around. He is undisputed king of the art of audio mastering and generally a very understated and decent guy.”    Fayyaz Ahmed

“When the music is recorded in the studio, it is then mixed - which means the volume levels of each instrument/vocals/sound are brought to a level that complies with the genre of music being produced and the impact a band wants to bring to a record. After the mixing comes the mastering stage which refers to balancing harsh sounds, eliminating bad frequencies and giving the entire album an even feel. Mastering on the album was done by Shahi Hasan.”    Syed Farhad Humayun

“I took it to Shahi for final mastering of the album. He has many years of experience and has a nice mastering facility, and he understood where I was coming musically. It seemed to be a natural fit!”   

 Omran Shafique

“Nightmare for any Psychiatrist and an Angel for any Saint.”  Ammar Hashmi

“I always had a vision to sing this song differently, and give it a more modern, yet classical rendition, and I discussed this and brainstormed with Shahi about this. …………..Shahi is a great composer and musician; he is very passionate and a perfectionist about his music. I really enjoyed working with him to create a beautiful, soulful album.”     Devika Chawla

“Shahi is an extremely versatile and multi talented man. He started off his career as a talented composer and musician with the Vital Signs but in the last ten years he has been at the forefront as one of the premier recording engineers and producers in the country. Shahi has played a role in the recording and engineering of my music since the very first Awaz album. I highly respect his opinion when it comes to music engineering. As a human being he is intelligent, has a great sense of humor and is the sort of person you can rely on to be a great friend. He has always made the time for me when I needed him. I think because Shahi has lately been working behind the scenes he is underrated in the general public. However all of us in the music field have the highest regard and respect for his talent. I wish him continued success.”    Haroon Rashid

“He is a very up right person, a sincere friend, does not lie ever and is very sensitive”   Junaid Jamshed

“Well Hum Tum was recorded in 2 weeks at Rohail’s house and Shahi played some great Bass on it. I think we all co- wrote a few songs... Jaana Jaana, Mein Chup Raha and Namumkin. Shahi's strength at that time was his bass playing and ability to liven up the proceedings with his humor. We also toured in England with that album and had a fabulous time there. Shahi is truly a great guy and friend as well as an exceptional engineer and producer.” Asad Ahmad

Exploring Sumptuousness of Asad Ahmed

Published in Desi Issue of INK

[Interview by Sadaf Fayyaz]

[Photography by Syed Qasim, Kohi Marri and Rizwan ul Haq]

He is a classy musician with lot of miscellany. Having played with The Barbarians, Junoon, Vital Signs, Awaz and Karavan now, he really masters different genres of music. He has also worked with renowned artists Sajjad Ali, Ali Haider, Haroon and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. His music journey dates back to two decades ago in 1987 and his experience stretches over twenty years; he has touched almost every genre of music. He doesn’t talk much and seems a deep kind of person. The legendary song “Hum Tum” of Vital Signs portrays deep touch of his tour de force and grandeur. The coke studio sessions are truly ritzy and opulent. “Life is good!!! Everyday above ground is good...not much too complain about...work hard, play hard!”

Tell something about your family and education.

I grew up in Dubai. I am the youngest of three brothers. I went to school in Dubai till 8th grade and then we shifted back to Pakistan where I went onto to complete my O and A levels and got a Bachelors degree in Finance and marketing.

How did you get interested in music and what was the first musical instrument you learned to play?

My mother is an artist so art runs in the family. Both my brothers were big music fans and also owned guitars, so it was only natural for me to pick it up at an early age. It was all natural.

What is your inspiration?

My inspiration was definitely a group from NYC called KISS. Afterwards it would be all the great guitar players I grew up with like Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Hendrix and countless others.

Which is your favorite track from “Sara Jahan”?

It is difficult to say since they are all great tracks. The one I love is called “Deewana”.

What is good music according to you?

Good music is anything that takes you away from your everyday life and makes you feel good.

What you expected from "Sara Jahan", has it fulfilled those expectations?

It cannot be answered at the moment.

Why is there a wide gap between your two albums “Sara Jahan” and “Gardish”?

There is because we were all busy doing individual projects. We were all apart and not together at all. Albums are worked on and made when members sit together. I was busy with coke studio as well as touring with Haroon and recording with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.

Tell us something about your musical training.

I am a completely self-taught person.

What message does your music reflect? Is it peace, love or any other?

All of the above, also I think it’s good to be positive which is why we did songs like “Aagay hi Aagay” and “Saara Jahan”. It is to move ahead and to be optimistic and affirmative too.

Is it easy these days, to manage with the competition in the music industry?

Yes it is very easy. Our band Karavan has a very loyal fan following.

How often do you jam? 

We jam a week before a tour: what we do is that we go over the songs that we might not have played for a while and generally tune into things like harmonies and performance moves. We do some practice for it and we are very well choreographed on stage.

How do you see the future of live music in Pakistan?

I perceive it as very healthy. There are lots of bands coming out now but I only wish if we had better venues to play at like arenas and theatres.

Your motivation and learning comes from?

It comes from my inner self belief and confidence within me to go one step further every time.

How do you take criticism?

Criticism from a music critic is useless for me, however if a fan has something to say the heart speaks. So I go more for critics of an ordinary man and I listen to them very closely. I give a lot of weight age to it.

What are future/long term plans of Karavan?

We take it one day at a time. The fact that we have outlasted every single band out there is a testament to our longevity and the fans’ love for us.

What is easier to play for you: a cover, an instrumental or something new?

It is my own music.

What is one thing that you would like to change about the music industry?

I'd really like to put real people who care about the industry in the right seats. The biggest tragedy is that self serving people are running the show.

When you four work together, and everyone has a different opinion about something, how is that managed?

We manage to take the best out of us. We bounce things off each other and in the end you get Karavan music.

Share a few lines on state of music industry (Pakistan).

Currently it’s healthy but, there are ignorant people running channels and record companies and crooks doing the distribution, it will always be the artist who suffers while they fill their pockets with our CASH.

As a band how would you like to be remembered by people?

I want people to remember us as the best live show they ever saw.

Lastly, what is your message to readers of INK?

Buy Saara Jahan and hear the difference between us and the little boys who imitate us.

Chit-Chat Exclusive: Hira Tareen

Published in Desi Issue of INK 

[Interview by Sadaf Fayyaz]

[Photography by: Jeff Eames & Zara Tareen] 

This beautiful woman is the Founder of and Creative Director at H&Z Productions. She has over seven years of experience in the fashion and creative industry. She specializes in styling and make-up as well as the choreography and concept development for runway shows.  She personally works with each model to perfect the walks and routines before each runway event. Hira also heads the Web Design and marketing departments of H&Z. In addition to being a conscientious and sensitive individual, she has amazing “Tabla” playing skills to her credit. INK recently had the opportunity to talk with the remarkable Hira Tareen.

My complexes: It is to publicly admit my complexes ☺

What turns me on: Humor, confidence and cleanliness

What turns me off: Bad hygiene & negativity

Philosophy of Life: Life is short, do what you love. Stop worrying about others and don’t take yourself so seriously either.

Secret Ambitions: I don’t believe in keeping your ambitions secret.

Favorite perfume: Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel

Favorite car: Not too picky with cars but I loved my Volkswagen Jetta in Dallas! It was a simple car yet had a lot of cool features.

Favorite dress: Whatever dress I happen to be wearing at the moment. That’s the only way I can make it look good.

Favorite place to hang out: It varies…….. sometimes my room, sometimes the outdoors or just a cozy place with good music and friends.

Favorite Movie: Gladiator, Seven, Troy, Avatar, Guru, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Favorite Actors: Liev Schreiber, Russell Crowe, Aamir Khan, Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Jim Carrey and Penelope Cruz

Characteristics that attract me as a person: Simplicity, humor, honesty, good hygiene, politeness, fitness, ambition, humility and confidence

Things I hate to do: Wash dishes and delete emails from my inbox

As a kid I was: Shy and quiet but very observant

What I always put off until tomorrow: Going through my face book friend requests and organizing my email inbox :-/

My craziest fan: My fans are not crazy!

Success to me is: Being content and happy with everything you have achieved so far in life.

Modeling for me is like: A craft as well as form of self-expression, plus it’s a great deal of fun!

When no one is looking, I like to: Wonder why they aren’t: P

Describe a moment in your life that was truly romantic: A couple of times that I have seen the sunrise while being by the ocean has felt really romantic.

My most prized possession: If we are talking about material things then it is my Macbook Pro and my Tabla.

What is the real me like: If you really get to know me, then you will find out that I am really goofy, easy going, playful and I like to make a lot of cheesy puns that eventually my friends get used to and enjoy.

My Idea of perfect happiness: Doing what you love and sharing your moments of success with all the people you love

Three things that I like about myself:
 I’m calm
I’m logical

 I’m sensitive

Three things that I dislike about myself:

I tend to overanalyze things
I avoid phone calls
I’m sensitive
Beauty according to me is: Having that special something that cannot be defined.

Biggest Regret: Not learning how to play the ‘Tabla’ at an early age

Favorite Hero: Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. I know my answer is very clichéd but I truly admire their ability to not stray from their original purpose and goal, regardless of whatever obstacle they faced throughout their lives.

Favorite Quote: "Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning."
— Gloria Steinem

Biggest Passion: Music & design

Favorite Food: Haleem & Sushi

Favorite Drink: Chai

Fitness secret: It wouldn’t be a secret if I told you

Biggest Expectation: Is from myself, not from others.

Favorite Pastime: Discovering new music and trends in design, technology, fashion, etc. and of course

playing ‘Tabla’

Favorite Song: Koop Island Blues by Koop

Favorite Fashion Designer: I mostly prefer finding vintage items and compiling them myself into an outfit of my own style. However even though I can’t afford most of these designers my favorites in terms of their work would be Zac Posen, Alexander Wang, Thakoon, 3.1 Philip Lim, Alexander McQueen, BCBG Max Azria, Tory Burch. As far as Pakistani designers are concerned, I still have a lot more to learn about what is currently happening in the fashion scene. But from judging what I do know, I love the work of Munib Nawaz, Rizwan Beyg, Nilofer Shahid, and HSY.

Source of Learning: My father, mother, brother, sister, every person that I meet. Plus it comes from books, internet and magazines.

Source of Inspiration: My Mom & Dad, Nature, traveling, the internet, cultures, history, and music.

I hate people who: Hate

Favorite Season: There is beauty in every season.

Favorite Model: I can’t give this label to just one there are way too many amazing models in this world. Each model has something special and unique to offer. However, I do like Gisele Bundchen's confidence and Lakshmi Menon’s style. As far as Pakistani models go,, we have much too many beautiful women here. The list will just be too long.

Zodiac Sign: A true Leo…Roarrrr!

Biggest Weakness: Spicy food

Biggest Strength: Moving on from bad situations and thinking about the next step in my life.

The Biggest Hurdle in my Way: External factors such as the current political situation and violence flourishing in our country.

Message to Readers of Ink:  Always be thankful for what you have but never stop striving for greatness. Don’t indulge in discouraging and negative discussions about the world which are not in your control; however do focus on yourself, and how you can improve the world as an individual citizen. The rest will fall into place. Lastly, do the one thing that you love the most,and throw your heart and soul into it. You will see that success will follow your footsteps. ☺

Short Notes from Book:::::

Part 1 & Part 2 Notes

 L to R: Rohail, Salman, Shahi & Junaid

L to R: Junaid, Shahi, Nusrat & Rohail

L to R: Shahi, Rohail, Salman & Junaid

Sanwali Saloni video shoots at desert of Thar, Sind

L to R: Junaid , Rohail

Shahi & Rizwan

(Famous model Iraj Manzoor

was also in the video and dressed in a

Typical Thar outfit, little traditional

dance “Jhummer”)

Rizwan joined after Salman

 Ahmed quit in 1990

L to R: Shahi, Nusrat, Junaid and Rohail

Shoaib Mansoor was ingenious enough to judge the talent of young boys and asked them to prepare a song. The song was deeply aesthetic and patriotic, thus making new ways to serious pop music in Pakistan. Though Nazia & Zoheb had already initiated a pop music culture, but they were known as siblings, not a band. Nusrat later quit and joined PIA as a pilot, suggesting Salman Ahmed in place of him. The first album was a great and jubilant success, as a result of VS members’ and Shoman’s effort. Two songs from the album “Musafir” and “Yeh Shaam” leave a very nostalgic impression on mind.  “Tum Mil Gaye” from first album was shot with Junaid and Andaleeb Iqbal, with other VS members missing from the video. Some songs like “Do Pal”, “Samjhana” and “Yeh Shaam” were used in “Dhundlay Raastay also”.

Song Chehra: L to R: Rohail, Nusrat, Shahi and Junaid

The video was shot at vicinity of Rawal Lake, produced by Rana Kanwal, a student at Pakistan Television and edited by Dost Muhammad Iqbal. Besides Vital signs, the video also had two other musicians namely Sarosh and Zaheer. The beautiful ghazal was written by Late Parvin Shakir. The song initially composed had different music, from the “Chehra” re-composed, in terms of more bass riffs and healthier rock. The song composed first has a soft and jolly tune attached to it, whereas, the re-composed version has a melancholic and romantic effect. Both are equally invigorating. The concert performance in 1994 had Aamir Zaki in it.

L to R: Shahi, Zaheer, Junaid, Sarosh & Nusrat

About The other two boys, people have little information about, since they only appeared in “Chehra” and no other song of Vital Signs. These were the times when the song only showed singers’ names. Nusrat afterwards released his own album in 1993 but unfortunately the solo venture didn’t do very well as expected. 

“Wo Kaun Thi”, L to R: Rizwan, Rohail, Shahi & Junaid

The song typically depicted college boys’ attitude, busy writing letters, talking till late nights on the telephone, gazing at every pretty girl. There is a scene where Rizwan is on his bicycle and looking at some girl, without looking ahead, he collides with a man and falls from his bicycle. There is a scene that Rohail gets so absorbed to look at someone that the cold drink he is holding in his hand splashes on earth. Without any model or girl in the video, the direction is remarkable.

Vital Signs......Concert Memoirs

 Part 3 from My book

I remember we were posted in New Delhi, my father was counselor (culture) and there were some nice plans about celebrating the Fiftieth Anniversary of Pakistan. Most of us recommended having a concert at Taj on 13^th of August, 1997. It was a dazzling evening and indeed one of the most memorable evenings of my life. The High Commission staff ordered a big cake of Pakistan’s map for the golden jubilee anniversary.  Vital Signs started the evening with their hit songs like “Sanwali Saloni”, “Mera Dil”, “Gorey” and some other famous tracks. The show was nicely hosted by Junaid Jamshed. They were looking really stunning and were all dressed in black. Before the VS show, there was a series of some comical skits and parodies. We were anxiously waiting for Vital Signs’ performance. I remember some ladies muttering to each other, “God, I can’t believe that Pakistani men are so dashing and stunning, I am ready to go to Pakistan today”. The show continued for two hours and VS were requested to sing “Dil Dil Pakistan” in the end. Junaid was a bit reluctant and asked his audience before singing the song. But the Indian audience convinced him and they sang their most super hit patriotic track joyfully. 

 

Some old women in their late 70s started developing a crush for Junaid. He laughed and said,

”Well, I have young girls going mad in my concerts, but this is the first time that I can see some old ladies as well”.

The show was followed by a cake cutting ceremony. The cake was specially designed like Pakistan’s map; the white area had thick white cream dressing and the green portion was topped with green jam. I still remember being the first one to ask for the biggest piece and still dreaming of some more pieces. Upon returning home, I excitedly told my brother about the autographs. He started making fun of me, “You and autographs, I wonder how Vital Signs gave you autographs, you were dressed like a nerd geek, wearing big glasses on even such a multi-colored event.” I had a fierce fight with him, telling him that I wasn’t a celebrity, just a fan of them, so they gave me the autographs. Next day, I anxiously waited for the pictures. Even my Indian friends were a great fan of the band; they kept asking me questions about the show.

Even today, almost after two decades, they have a huge list of fans, listening to their songs and playing covers.  They managed to create relishing and mesmerizing music in a highly Islamized era, where there wasn’t any concept of concerts and shows, Vital signs had euphoria and charisma of their own. They were different individuals with their unique set of traits.  The band produced only four albums in its eleven years, with very few of the songs going dreadful flops. Towards the end of 90’s, the members started drifting away and shifted their core energies to different fields. They are still legends, but the way they set a fresh trend in a dictatorship epoch, was distinctly appraising. Even today, little is known about the band’s disbanding reasons, but they will always be admired by millions of aficionados all over the world. Even after the disbanding, the VS legends have a whole list of fans. Shahi shifted his energies to music production and mastering, whereas Rohail’s amazing work can be seen at Coke studio. Many bands emerged and disbanded during 1990s, leaving meager information to the fans and world, but people still remember and want to read more and more about Vital Signs, even after twenty three years of band formation. 

I attended one concert not of Vital Signs, but of Junaid Jamshed at Services Club Lahore, in 1999. Tickets were selling like hot cakes and we managed to get them only one day prior to the concert. Mom showed keen interest to attend the concert and we both attended it. I initially declined to attend the concert, but agreed afterwards. When the concert started, mom asked me,” I don’t see the dashing guys who came to India with Junaid,” I explained her that the band had disbanded and the members had drifted away. 

We got seats in the last rows and were quite unhappy with our sitting plan. The show was organized by Col. Nawazish and some other Army people. When suddenly a junior of my father came to us and asked my mom, ”Bhabi, why you are sitting in the last rows, I guess Sadaf is getting quite bored, let us move to the VIP rows.” Mom declined to go but I agreed to proceed to the front rows. Later the audience created so much ruckus that Junaid asked girls to come forward and sit on the carpet, just in front of the stage. I remember it was pretty cold and there weren’t any proper heating arrangements, but the girls felt glad to sit on the carpet. We even sang some songs like “Us Rah Par”, “Aanknon Ko” and “O Sanama” with him. My father and little dog came to pick us when the show ended at 11 pm. Mom and I were very exhausted but kept discussing the show and other things till late at night. 

Since only two of my class fellows attended the show, we had some very narrow-minded and customary teachers in our college, who were informed that we had attended the concert. The grapevine traveled so easily. One of them asked me especially next day, “Did you attend the concert; I wasn’t expecting it from you at least.” I felt a bit appalling, but didn’t say anything to him, since he was unaware of my fanatical likeliness for the band. In fact some brats came from very conservative and traditional families; they kept pointing and telling me that it was quite ghastly to go to concerts and musical shows and kept making stupid points. Even those who weren’t able to get the tickets exhibited the same attitude. It was a typical “Sour grapes” attitude, indeed and I could feel their envy easily. Even some other teachers kept speaking ill about bands and concerts. Those who had attended it merrily reached a conclusion that it was much better to have that day off from the college. At least we could have saved ourselves from nerdy criticism and orthodox remarks, but there wasn’t any way to avoid the nemesis.