The Curious Case of Makeup

My lack of enthusiasm towards makeup has my mom (and everyone I know) worried about “what kind of a girl” I’m turning out to be. 

I’ve always been very anti-make up, and on the occasional times that I have worn make-up I have felt really uncomfortable. In fact, it makes me feel worse when people compliment me because then, all I can think of is, “I don’t really look like this” and “do I have to wear make-up for people to consider me pretty?”, and most importantly, “do I really look that bad without anything on my face?” I don’t like having to hide my flaws or “enhancing” my beauty in people’s words. I’ve often had friend’s moms or just aunties tell me how I would look so beautiful if I put on “only a bit of make-up” or did my eyebrows or styled my hair or straightened it or whatever. And although I have grown a thick skin to it, there may be girls out there who haven’t. Because there have been moments when I’ve felt insecure because I went to weddings without anything on my face and have had people tell me how I should wear make-up and “tum shadi k baad kia karogi” (what will you do after you’re married) and “tumhara shohar kia boleyga” (what will your husband say?)? 

If I ever have a daughter, I would want her to be comfortable in her own skin, I would want her to be able to go out bare faced and be completely okay with how she looks even on a day when she’s pulled an all-nighter before and has dark circles and puffy eyes. I want her to be okay with the fact that bad hair days don’t always need to be fixed and that hair straighteners are only damaging. And I want her to know that she should never feel the need to wear make-up just to impress a man. It’s something that we have drilled into our heads by people around us and it’s created this innate insecurity in every girl I know. But no I don’t really blame men for this. I blame the women. Women have created these insecurities amongst women, and these insecurities have been inherited and carried around by women too. There haven’t been many guys who have judged me for not wearing make-up but almost every girl or woman I know has at least once pointed out to me that I could look “prettier”. My self-esteem isn't dependent on a pimple or a scar; it’s healthy as long as I feel comfortable in my own skin and I want that for every woman who feels the need to cover up every little blemish, because they are a part of who she is and she shouldn’t want to wear make-up to cover it out of insecurity because gender-roles are crap and not dressing up doesn’t make you any less of a woman and if you do want to wear make-up, wear it because you want to, not because of an insecurity. 

By Alia Eva  

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The Good Ol' Power Ranger Days

A stick of white tape, serving as a spine label, spans the length of one side of my favorite VHS tape. Judging by the label, my father has limited knowledge of the film, but excellent penmanship. He has, for the past week, been obsessively labelling every single cassette that we own, organizing them in alphabetical order, I think; My six-year-old brain tends to be quite unreliable.

I had watched the movie more times than I could count - I suppose this does not convey the sentiment entirely, in light of my mathematical ineptness. So every afternoon I was splayed out on the floor, face inclined and unmoving, staring raptly at the flickering television screen. Sometimes standing while I watched, allowing myself to imitate the various fight scenes. I could recount every dialogue and describe every scene with unimaginable precision. But that is not the point. What really matters here is that I contemplated it daily.

I have not thought about a film so seriously ever since. I have, indeed, sat in front of my computer screen for hours, watching the sophisticated and dry films of Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch, probably two of the most praised directors, recommended ad nauseam, by every self-proclaimed film critic. My intention here, is not to scorn those who like movies of this sort (as I, myself, am one of them) but simply to convey the limited scope of popular films that we talk about seriously.

What really bothers me, is the mindless activity, that watching commercial films has become. Local theatres, where people congregate, to quietly but collectively engage themselves in a story, is where the hard work is actually required. One may roll their eyes at this, contemptuous of those who watch, or - even worse - enjoy popular commercial films. But that is where the problem lies. Over-the-top special effects, jaded and unoriginal dialogue, and a general lack of intellectual value, keeps us from discussing them. This is why no one really has a sound, intelligent reason for disliking or liking popular movies; Very few people are willing to do the work, and sift through the visually muddled, cliche films.

To stop the very medium from declining, and been seen as only a quick source of pleasure, we must transfigure the way we watch movies, and employ the same effort that goes into reading serious literature, or looking at a piece of art for a long period of time. We must revert to the Power Ranger days. 

A movie poster to specifically remind you of the movie that truly matters

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Of Movies and Changing Ideals

I think that different people have different ways of connecting to certain things. Some might feel that a book or maybe a song helps them express how they feel, and sometimes, you need that slight link between reality and fiction to make you understand that there are so many other ways to go about with your life than just simply focusing on the negativity. Finding that small connection helps you realize that even though you might be going through the worst stage in your life, you’re not the only one who has gone through it because you’re reading about it, listening to it or maybe, as it is the case for most people and what I am going to primarily talk about in this article, watching people go through it in movies.

I think that there are very few people who don’t have a specific movie that have, at some point in their lives, made them feel something and maybe they didn't find the connection in it that I talked about before, but instead found something that they wish they could relate to and that in itself, has a meaning. Because this makes them form an idea in their mind of what they want or what they are looking for, which for this completely indecisive generation, is a pretty big thing. What I am trying to say is this: you probably don’t realize it, but movies can have a great impact on you. They can influence your decisions because they change the way you perceive a certain thing or maybe, they make you want to behave the way a certain character you fell in love with did.

Lets talk about the difference between movies and other forms of expression such as books or songs. Movies can literally transport you to another world and give you a visual image of the way you’re meant to be imagining the story playing out in front of you and this actually helps to take whatever feeling the movie might bring about in you to a whole new level. It lets you connect with your emotions by playing them out in front of you in surroundings you’re familiar with, unless it’s some crazy, out of this world science fiction that you can’t possibly relate to, but the fact that it gives you a visual representation, helps build the whole relationship and connection between you and that movie. It might be argued that movies limit your imagination because unlike books, they tell you exactly how one looks or talks, but sometimes, that’s exactly what you need and it might actually lead to a certain character inspiring you and inspiration can take you to a lot of places. It could be what makes you want to start writing, or maybe finally decide to take that dance class you kept hearing about but hadn’t joined because you used to think that dancing wasn’t something you wanted to do. It could lead you to make a lot of decisions could which end up shaping your whole life into something you fall in love with.

To conclude this probably nonsensical article that most of you didn’t read till the end because of my way of not being able to bring a point across ever, movies can change you. So, the next time you’re choosing between which movie to watch, maybe you should learn more about them before you do or actually think about what way they might affect you because trust me, you might not initially realize it, but they do have the power to change the way you feel about certain things.

By: Maryam Ansari

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The Best Movie Posters of All Time

1.

Who wouldn't want to look at BOTH George Clooney and Ryan Gosling's faces in one morphed picture? No one, that's who. 

2.

First thought that comes to mind: trippy. For sure. 

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3.

With an amazing poster like this, I don't think any fans will be letting it go any time soon. 

4.

Every second counts: except the one where he drinks bodily fluids. I kinda wish that second didn't have to count. 

5.

The guy has the same expression on his face that I have when I hear someone say something stupid. 

6.

Listen, the line 'he's pulling out all the stops' is scary enough for me to not even want to watch the movie. 

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7.

Reminding you that Nicholas Cage wasn't always the internet meme people have made him out to be. 

8.

TWO cool movie posters for ONE movie? Above and beyond, obviously. 

9.

"Mooooooom, I don't want to clean my room!" Said the mummy on the movie poster. 

10. 

To be honest, the poster was better than the movie. 

 By: Muneeb Khan (Captions by Sarah Quraishi) 

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TOP 5 BOLLYWOOD SONGS YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON

This post goes out to all those Bollywood fans out there, and to those of us that love the occasional catchy tune that may not always make complete sense. These are the top 5 songs that have been burning the charts recently: 

1.  Lovely- Happy New Year 

This song will get you moving as soon as you play it. Let’s not forget that Deepika Padukone looks breathtaking throughout. If that doesn't help, it’s sung by Kanika Singh who may have sung a previous hit about a certain children’s toy. A definite party number, make sure you warn the neighbors before turning up the volume. 

2.Mitti Di Khushboo- Ayushmann Khurrana

The ‘Vicki Donor’ star is back with another soft pop number that shows off his extraordinary musical talent. I’m head over heels for his voice in the song, and it especially works for those of us who might be missing a certain someone. The song will make you feel nostalgic, so next time you want some background music to accompany you in those i-miss-you-loads moments, then this track is one to look out for.

3.Bang Bang- Bang Bang 

Okay, this one will take you back to the 80’s during the Michael Jackson’s reign because of the beat which is quite similar to Thiller. The song features at the end of the movie suggestively called ‘Bang Bang!, which is the Bollywood version of Hollywood film ‘Knight and Day’. Hritik Roshan pays tribute to MJ with his incredible dance moves that leave the audience, and also Katrina, mesmerized.  

  

4. Love Dose- Yo Yo Honey Singh

As cheesy as the title, it’s a pretty catchy hip hop song by India’s very own Punjabi rapper and singer, it's Yo Yo Honey Singh. Considering the number of hits he has delivered in the last year, this one too received just as much love from fans. This one is likely to get stuck in your head for days, maybe even weeks.  The video might not be very family friendly so enjoy this picture of Honey Singh with his breakfast instead. 

5. Sajde- Kil Dil 

Guys, it's Arjit Singh, what more could you possibly ask for? The song is just as heartfelt as the title suggests with excellent vocals provided by Arjit and Nihira Joshi. The song is included in the official soundtrack of the film “Kill/Dil” starring Ranvir Singh, Parineeti Chopra and Ali Zafar in lead roles, which does sound like a bunch of awesome people put together in one movie. This song is probably going to stick with me for a while.


 By Nida Zehra 

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Of Honey Vocals, Flashy Outfits, and Oddly Lit Boxes

Deep down the dark streets of Seoul in  big entertainment companies, lived the uncountable number of Korean bands. Every now and then they would come out with addictive, upbeat songs, dressed in the trendiest of outfits, dancing perfectly in oddly lit boxes. Grabbing a few awards once in a while, this bunch of hard-working teenagers worked even harder to come back with crisp and  flawless dance moves and songs to make all the fangirls swoon.

WHO ARE THEY? HOW ARE THEY SO PERFECT? WHAT DO THEY WANT?

Before these questions could be answered, a crazy old man came in their way.

'Dress classy, dance cheesy' he said.

'Oppa Gangnam Style' he said.

Stealing away the spotlight,he galloped to yet another oddly lit stadium claiming himself a 'Gentleman'  By the name of Park Jaesang he goes. As a Korean phenomenon he's known. But what if I tell you, there's more to the genre known as Korean pop than just the famous (or infamous?) Gangnam style?

 In an industry where fame comes quickly and fades just as rapidly, Korean pop has been on a major roll ever since the decade started. After years of intense training, Korean entertainment companies form bands with the best of talents which can feature as many as 17 members. Not only  do singing skills matter but so does the ability to be a powerful dancer. Later come the artsy music videos. These ever-growing bands are creating a frenzy among their fans by selling out concerts within minutes and breaking through billboard music charts. Every once in a while these girl and boy bands come back with new singles or full albums. What is unique is the fact that their new acts are further promoted through music shows where all these bands compete against each other and show strong live performances with some high notes here and there, and impressive but tough, well synchronized choreography.

 Immensely dedicated fandoms are another special factor of Korean bands. Having a group filled with different personalities, these bands manage to attract a large audiences. International awards are more like a battlefield and boy can things get ugly. Fans even buy the CDs, which no one in this generation seems to do. Never underestimate the power of a fangirl. They can even get their oppas a mansion in Gangnam, a Taj Mahal and Beyonce. Thats right! The key word here is 'Obsession!'

Riddled with idol groups after idol groups, the magical genre of K-pop has painted a picture of loud, crazy and colourful worlds with songs like Go crazy, Gee, Like This and many more. However it also  knows just when to step back and slow it down with melodious ballads like Blue, and 0330. But things do not end here. In the last few years, many east meets west collaborations have been seen. From Kanye West to Diplo, K-pop is slowly entering the American market and gaining a lot of interest. K-pop is all but usual- a mix of expected and unexpected.

All in all, my life being in this K-ingdom has been more of a roller coaster ride. With its crazy dance moves to major outfit fails where you just want to burn the stylist to bits of broken english (see; nonsense) to the pride it gives you when you see your favorite bands taking away worldwide awards. Korean bands not only taught me how practice makes  perfect but also the fact that music has no language. Mad props to these people for changing my life's motto which now goes as

YOLO- You Only Love Oppas!

By: Fizzah Riaz Sheikh 

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Indie, what?

Going through my old MySpace list, I realized how different my taste in music has become through the years. I started off with Miley Cyrus and The Jonas Brothers, and now listen to a whole new brand of music known as “indie”.  It seems to be the choice of a new generation- A generation which I come from. I slowly found myself moving away from the sugar pop music and more towards the “alternative/alt-rock” bands, which were still pretty mainstream but had a sort of electric weirdness to them covered in noisy out-of-tune synthesizers. Coldplay, for example. Their songs like “Charlie Brown” and “Violet Hill” are examples of somewhat unconventional music coming from a popular band.

Earlier before, “indie rock” was the proud successor of “punk rock”. It was defined to oppose the music that was made to appeal to the masses. It was for people who were fed up with  what they heard on their TV and radio. However soon enough, we saw bands like Sonic Youth and Joy Division go commercial. Many of these underground bands started signing with major record labels. Indie had expanded its territory and somewhat dropped its image of ‘weird’ and became more common.  The definition of "indie" remains constantly in flux. Are bands on independent labels the only ones righteous enough to have a illicit claim to the "indie" spirit? Or is indie an aesthetic that belongs to any artist who is willing to be creative or showcase their idiosyncrasies, without caring about the commercial success?

I feel as though anything that can be described as ‘quirky’ or ‘quaint’ now comes under the indie umbrella, and there are more things under it than it can actually take. As indie enters the second decade of the 21st century, its definition has never been less clear. Hipsters that see their favorite bands appearing on popular late night shows and treacherous label signings experience a lot of hurt. On various social networks (i.e Tumblr) I see them lashing out and talking about the good old days of a band before it became mainstream.  It seems hard for people to digest that there can be an in-between. I love listening to Ariel Pink, John Maus, Mac DeMarco and other such not so popular indie artists. But I can’t like listening to Beyonce or Adele without being judged for crossing the other side, even if it is for a little while.

 There seems to be a sense of betrayal in all of this; the movement that had begun to defy conventional pop/rock now seems to become it.

By: Sana Ahmad 

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