South Asian Glam!: Pakistani high society

Showing posts with label Pakistani high society. Show all posts

Friday, June 7, 2013

2012's Pakistan's Most Eligible: 8/10 Bachelors and Counting

For the August 2012's Men's Special Issue of HELLO! India, I interviewed ten dynamic young bachelors and set a bevy of feminine (and some masculine) hearts in a tizzy across the border.

HELLO! India, August 2012

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Here are the remaining 8 who haven't succumbed to matrimony since then (as of June 2013):

Shehryar Taseer

Shehryar in his characteristic down-time attire; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

Alexandre 'Sikander' Rizvi

Xander continues to lend his personal touch to his self-named cafe in Karachi; Photo by Maryam Rahman Agha

Bilal Lashari

Bilal awaits the release of his film, Waar; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

Adil Omar

Adil is seen working on his latest album, The Mushroom Cloud Effect; Photo by Diego Ibarra Sanchez

Shahzad 'Shezy' Malik

Shahzad pursues music in his leisure time at his basement studio; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

Valy Rangoonwala

Valy skiiing in scenic Courchevel in the French Alps; Photo from personal collection

Hissam 'Namoo' Hyder

Hissam counts among Pakistan's top polo players and competes internationally; Photo from personal collection

Muhammad Saigol

Muhammad on a night out on the town; Photo from personal collection

...And speaking of avid fans, this 'tribute' painting was posted on Shehryar's Facebook wall by a friend of his who happened to see it:

An (unknown) fan's tribute to Shehryar Taseer's feature in HELLO! India

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Wedding Bells chime for some of our dynamic bachelors

2012's Men's Special Issue of HELLO! India featured ten of Pakistan's most interesting young men who also happened to be single (and ready to mingle).

HELLO! India, August 2012

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Since then, Osman-ul-Haq and Isfandyar Zaman Khan have entered marital bliss with their sparkling spouses, Misha Sadiq and Zehra Hyder Ali. Congratulations, newlyweds!

Isfandyar and Zehra host a pub-style soiree for friends in Washington DC to mark their engagement

A winter wedding for Osman & Misha

The feedback on my profile was great!" says Osman about his feature in HELLO! India. (Great enough to meet your future wife?)

"I met Misha right around the time of the interview for HELLO! India and got married in January of this year," he reveals. "I also left NYC after living there for 5 years and moved to London to pursue another role in finance."

Misha Sadiq grew up in Abu Dhabi and moved to Pakistan at the age of 16. After graduating from the University of Toronto, Misha worked in the HR department of Coca Cola in Lahore and consulted for a nonprofit organization specializing in education.

When I ask Osman what he loves most about his bride, he responds with the humorous cynicism of one who has been married for a decade, let alone a couple of months: "Uff ubh yay nahin hosakta please!"

Mehndi; Misha in Saira Rizwan

Osman weds Misha in Lahore; Photo by Farrakh Bhatti

On their wedding day, Misha wore her grandmother's dupatta with a Sana Safinaz lehnga

Osman and Misha at their walima reception in Islamabad; Misha wears Elan. Photo by Zeeshan Jamal

Summer celebrations for Isfandyar & Zehra

"I met the sweetest girl possible at a circus party in Lahore a few years ago, was told to stay away from her and as always I never listened," says Isfandyar about the first time he met Zehra.

Isfandyar and Zehra in the mood for love; photo from their personal collection

After appearing in HELLO! India, Isfandyar reveals that his Indian colleagues came up to him and took pictures. "That was odd," he shrugs.

When asked about his fiancee at the time, Isfandyar responds in his typical self-deprecating fashion: "Zehra is based outta Lahore, DC and somewhere in between...She grew up across the canal for me and does insulation for low income housing. And is from MIT."

Zehra elaborates: "Ghonsla is the company's name and we provide sustainable and affordable insulation to underserved markets, starting with Pakistan. Not just low income, but housing across the board and commercial buildings too."

When I asked where they plan to live after getting married, Isfandyar aptly replies, "Everywhere!"

Friends arrived from all corners of the world to attend the wedding--including many of Isfandyar's friends who had met, hooked up and gotten hitched over the last decade vis-a-vis the unwitting Mr. Khan. Isfandyar is a remarkable friend to all!

Nikkah ceremony; Photo courtesy of Marta Zimina

Isfandyar weds Zehra in Lahore; Photo courtesy of Marta Zimina

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Thursday, June 6, 2013

Incandescent Isbah: Pakistan's Architect Extraordinaire

My coverage of leading Pakistani architect Isbah Hassan for HELLO! India's February 2013 issue included a fabulous photoshoot.

HELLO! India, February 2013

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Here are some unseen photos of Incandescent Isbah

Isbah at the entrance of her enchanting home; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

On the terrace outside her bedroom; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

In executive mode atop her split-level lounge; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

Glamorous in Saadia Mirza in her elegant dressing room; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

In her dining room dressed in Saadia Mirza; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

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Vivacious Maryam Bashir at the Lahore Polo Ground and her family home

My coverage of the effervescent business executive and philanthropist Maryam Bashir resulted in a fun photoshoot for HELLO! India, July 2012.

HELLO! India, July 2012

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Here's more of Vivacious Maryam

Sauntering at the historic Aibak Ground of the Lahore Polo Club; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

Vivid in House of Kamiar Rokni; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

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Sensational Shazia Bashir at her family home in Lahore

I covered fun-loving banking executive Shazia Bashir as part of a feature spread on the Bashir family for HELLO! India's May 2012 issue.

HELLO! India, July 2012

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Here are additional photos of Sensational Shazia

Dreamy in Elan by Khadjiah Shah; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

Sumptuous in jewel toned Rana Noman; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

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Glamazons Sabene Saigol, Amna Bashir, Iqraa Mansha & Sanam Taseer: One Year Later

One year later:

The dish on our iconic Glamazons from Pakistan

In HELLO! India's Fifth Anniversary issue in 2012, I unveiled our super-exclusive foray into the homes—and wardrobes—of some of Pakistan’s most glamorous young women who also happen to be yummy mummys: Sabene Saigol, Amna Bashir, Iqraa Mansha and Sanam Taseer.

Here's a look back at some unseen photographs from our trendsetting editorial coup along with recent photos from their personal collections.

HELLO! India, April 2012

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Let's catch up with the girls as they give us their lowdown on their year:

Sabene Saigol photographed at home by Khawar Riaz

SABENE SAIGOL describes her year as professionally very busy. Pregnancy didn’t deter the ad agency and publishing executive from her work commitments.

On March 1^st, Sabene, her husband Sayeed and four-year-old son, Sultan, welcomed adorable twins Nadine and Dahlia in London. Says Sabene about her Glamazon experience in HELLO!--“Lots of friends in India called and many were surprised I agreed to the shoot since I am generally a very private person! I even received phone calls from friends I had lost contact with since college.”

In masquerade; photo courtesy of Libas

Pregnant with twins and no less glamorous; photo courtesy of Lotus PR

AMNA BASHIR received a warm response to her Glamazon appearance—sometimes a little too warm—with stalkers at international airports! The mother of four spent a busy year launching international distribution for her furniture and apparel lines and took an extended trip to the Continent with her husband Asif.

Amna Bashir in repose in her Zen-like bath and dressing room; photographed by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

Amna also laments the loss of an esteemed friend in the late Yash Chopra: “He was always a pleasure to meet and talk to—warm and thoughtful, never forgetting to call on my birthdays and special occasions like Eid. I was devastated when he died! He would send us original signed copies of his classics and I would send lawn ka joras to his wife. He was born in Lahore and he’d wanted so much to visit and stay in our house,” she says. “May he rest in peace.”

Keeping it cool in this season's lawn (cotton voile); Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

In Venice (photo from personal collection)

Iqraa Mansha in her enchantingly designed home; photographed by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

Attending her brother's wedding in Karachi; Photo by Riaz Jamal

IQRAA MANSHA has been busy as always, set to launch her boutique hotel and is working on a mixed development project, both in Lahore. Her son Khazain, the apple of her eye, is now 4.

She says that her Glamazon appearance “shocked” Pakistani publishers who had made numerous attempts for her appearance in local magazines. Iqraa also got numerous random inquiries from Indian women on Facebook about her Pakistani outfits in the shoot. She confides that she’d like to have another child but is so “petrified of the nonstop nausea” that she’s expecting a decade-long age-gap between her first and second children.

Photo by Riaz Jamal

SANAM TASEER has spent a fruitful year with interesting shows at her art gallery, coupled with mommy duty with young Shershah, aged 5, and little Pasha, aged 2.

Sanam has an eye for acquiring unique works of art; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

When asked about the highlight of her year, Sanam’s sparkling sense of humour took over: “I got to smooch Siddharth Malhotra in Karan Johar’s office and haven’t washed my lips since.” She also attended a Bollywood awards ceremony thanks to good friend Ali Zafar, “who graciously tolerated my begging his friends for cameos!”

In party mode; photo courtesy of Fatima Naseer Fazli

Photographed in her contemporary surroundings by Fazal Rizvi; Art by Salman Toor

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*WORLDWIDE INQUIRIES FOR HELLO! INDIA:

I receive many inquiries about obtaining copies of HELLO! India magazine or placing advertisements. Here's whom to contact:

Print subscriptions: Email priyadarshi.banerjee@wwm.co.in

Digital subscriptions: http://in.zinio.com/helloindia

Advertising: Email armaity.amaria1@wwm.co.in