Indian officials tell poor people to start eating rats: ‘The beauty is we have billions of them’ August 19, 2008

Indians living in one of the country’s poorest state have been told to eat rats.

The rodents are already consumed by an impoverished caste in Bihar called the Musahars or ‘rat-eaters’  -  but most people find the idea distasteful.

Now state officials are asking hotels and restaurants to devise interesting ways of poaching, roasting or stewing the meat.

‘Once people accept it as just another meat like chicken or mutton, it will become popular,’ said Vijay Prakash, Bihar’s social welfare secretary.

Rat meat is already cooked in some Bihar villages and Mr Prakash’s mission is to spread the taste to urban areas because poor rat-catchers will only make enough money once demand grows.

‘It is very high in protein and the beauty is that we have billions of rats,’ he said.

He wants rat snacks served at bus and train stations, and roadside cafes.

‘In the countryside, in roadside cafes, people have rats as a snack with drinks,’ he added.

Mr Prakash’s objective is to give Bihar’s poor a source of nourishment and income.

‘India has about eight rats per person. If rat meat sells for 50 rupees a kilo and each rat weighs a kilo  -  field rats are fat and heavy  -  then a poor family can make 150 rupees a day by catching just three rats.

‘Once it becomes as normal as chicken, then I will encourage people to start rat farming.’

Watch God Tussi Great Ho Online free August 17, 2008

LINK

Watch Bachna Ae Haseeno Online

‘A Journey Beyond the physical world’- KASHF August 16, 2008

A property developer turned director Ayesha khan has decided to take us on a journey beyond the physical world. Unhappy with the way Islam is depicted in the western media, she decided to take matters into her own hand and talk about SUFISM.

Based in Lahore KASHF revolves around two cousins, Armaghan and Ali. Armaghan is born out of an oath his mother makes to a Sufi Pir that her child will “walk the Sufi path when he grows up”. He returns to Pakistan after 25 years unaware of the secret about to change his life and whereas Ali is on his own path of self – discovery to become a Lollywood star. The movie brings to screen a lot of new faces, some off whom have never even acted before, according to Ayesha Khan almost everyone apart from the exception off Rasheed Naz is a non-professional actor. Rasheed Naz would be seen as a‘Sufi Pir’. Bilal Zaman who has never acted before plays the role off Armaghan and the role of Ali has been played by Ali Tariq who has done some theatrical productions with Ajoka previously, but never acted on screen before. Only time will tell how well the experiment shapes out to be but according to the director, the character of Ali has already become a memorable one to the audience who has seen the movie. Ayesha herself is directing her first feature film and describes the experience as a learning curve, ‘KASHF has been a remarkable experience, shooting, the actors, the sound etc.’

It has taken a lot of planning hard work and dedication to realize this dream says Ayesha. In the initial stages Ayesha had short listed Shahrukh Khan to play the lead and he himself showed keen interest but due to some security fears and tightly booked diary was not able to commit to this Indie project from across the border. The movie revolves around Lahore most of the shooting has been done in and around the inner city and Mazaars. She goes as far as to quote the music of the movie as the “sounds of Lahore”. Initial demos do sound refreshing and what one might describe as something very different. It caters for all sorts of audience with music varying from pop songs to live recorded qawalli’s. One off the major drawbacks which might hinder with the commercial sucess of the movie is the fact that 70% of the movie is in english, hence an average pakistani audience might intially might be a bit reluctant.

The film is all set for to hit the theaters in December and has actually already had screenings in New York City and Santa Fe, New Mexico for select audiences that have been extremely successful. A promo of KASHF was also shown at the Berlin film festival as well as Cannes.

After talking movies we decided to focus our shift onto her production company INDUS VALLEY PRODUCTIONS, talking about the company she added ‘Our goal is to create dialogue through the movies we produce, both within the Muslim world, internationally and especially the USA. As a Pakistani-American I feel a keen sense of responsibility to pursue this line of work ever more critical in light of today’s political and social environment’. Hence her first movie revolves around Sufism which according to her shows us a reality beyond the “physical reality” Sufism and our Sufi Saints be it, Data Saab, Bulleh Shah, Mian Mir are part of our cultural inheritance as a nation and we need to be broad minded enough to accept all facets of ourselves as Pakistani’s.

Watch Singh is King online free August 9, 2008

LINK

Top five this week: August 3, 2008

5)Babu Nazir Ahmed, Riffat and Nighat:

LAHORE, Aug 2: Police have liberated two sisters and their father from a 15-year-long bondage imposed by none other than the man’s son.

Since the three were not in their senses, they were referred to a mental hospital to ascertain whether they were mentally retarded.

The police and Rescue 1122 carried out the operation in Saidpur area on Saturday under the supervision of four coordinators of the Punjab chief minister’s inspection team and two PML-N MPAs.

It was reportedly conducted on the information of some local residents who contacted the CMIT officials and media and said that a man had confined his father and sisters for a long time and never allowed them to leave the house.

They would surely be making new and be topic off many forum based tv show’s.

4)ZEB AND HANIYA

Zeb and Haniya have officially arrived, and that alone is a landmark event. Pakistan has not seen the launch of two young talented women in the music industry in a very, very long time – and these two have made 2008 a year to remember for Pakistani music.

Zeb and Haniya (or as their full names go, Zebunissa Bangash and Haniya Aslam) appeared on the Pakistani music scene a few years ago, when a song called ‘Chup’ by the duo started spreading like wildfire on the Internet. The song was then picked up by radio stations that began playing it. The girls of the ‘Chup’ fame have just launched their debut album, also titled Chup, which has been flying off the shelves at Karachi’s popular music stores. Zeb and Haniya have a cult following and their fans have been waiting for their album ever since they downloaded the song ‘Chup’.  There first video is also ready and would be hitting your T.V screens preety soon.

3) Mehreen Jabber:

With the release off her critically aclaimed film Ramchand Pakistani, Mehreen has become the hearttrobe offPakistani channel, which ever dicussion show you ruen too she is there. Although the intail numbers arent good the rumours are it is picking up, we wish her best of luck

2) Yusuf Raza Gillani:

With first his trip to America, followed by a very lively SAARC summit, our MP has been making news left right and centre. For a change he has been more in the news then his party leader Zardari.

1)Shehzad Roy

He is back, his new video’lagga raho’ has been creating waves across the nation. He created news by have a unique launching on his new album. He performed for a live audience at central jail Karachi child’s wing. Many have termed this album as his coming off age, whatever be said according to the figures coming in the album is doing preety well. He definatly has taken qismat aapnie haatooon mein.