Gwyneth Paltrow promoting Two Lovers at the 61st Cannes Film Festival. Photograph: Francois Mori/AP
This issue/episode/whatevs of Lost in Showbiz shall be a solemn meditation on the subject of What Else Can Your Celebrity Do? Because it’s not good enough, is it, for them just to do whatever it is they became famous for. Dance for me, loser, dance!
Celebrities want you to know that they don’t “just” act, they don’t “just” model: there is so much more depth beneath those shallow pools. Those who lack the foreign policy nous of Middle East diplomat Jude Law hire underlings to design clothing ranges because they’ve always been – self-deprecating chuckle – obsessed with fashion. Others go on reality TV shows where they will do such extraordinary things as wear no makeup and cry and be stuck in a room with Sue Perkins for a while. And then some celebrities turn to the internet.
MySpace has, of course, served as a most excellent forum for celebrities to get their all-too-often stifled voices out into the world, with Lindsay Lohan and Lily Allen being probably the most frequently heard, although Leonardo DiCaprio’s page (“I am an actor and an environmental activist”) is occasionally worth checking out, too.
One really needs to go to tomcruise.com in person to see a true messiah complex in action, and also, of course, to read the “message from Tom” (“There are so many more stories to be told” – oh Tom, aren’t there just.)
But a new standard has been set this week by Gwyneth Paltrow and the launch of her website, Goop.com.
To give you a bit of recent Paltrow context, Lost in Showbiz was privileged – nay, blessed – to watch her on Oprah Winfrey last week. Admittedly the descriptions of her daily workouts with a personal trainer were just fascinating but I think the most thrilling moment was when Gwyneth discussed her friendship with Madonna, which Lost in Showbiz always hoped might develop into a kind of Thelma and Louise scenario. Anyway, Madonna “has an amazing dichotomy” (huh, shouldn’t she get a cream for that?) and is “such an intelligent person”. How intelligent, Gwyneth? “She really rearranged my molecules.” Blow me, even those idiots at Cern couldn’t manage that one. Oh, and Madonna’s kids are “just phenomenal”. How so? “Well, they’re just really polite.”
And now, via the medium of the interweb, Gwyneth has, to her extraordinary credit, found a way to be even more annoying. This is not some poxy “here’s my CV” website. No, Gwynnie wants to help you – you dumpy, gross, animal-fat-injesting freaks – be more pure like her. Excited already!
Launching this week, the intriguingly named Goop.com will teach you how to “nourish what is real”. Learn from Gwyneth, is the motto here, and who wouldn’t want to? Why, in her mission statement she assures us, “I love being in spaces that are clean and feel nice.” It’s like sitting at the knee of Thomas Aquinas.
Best of all is the promise that Gwyneth will share “some thoughts from one of my sages”. Gwyneth’s sages! And people say the internet is just full of half-assed crap. Obviously, Lost in Showbiz has already signed up for the newsletter because if there’s any woman who can help this column “nourish the inner aspect”, then you just know it’s going to be a woman who had to be hospitalised this year while it was reported that she was on a five-day fast. Oh, how my inner aspect feels so nourished already.He was born as a hero, with a proverbial silver spoon in his mouth; he lived as a hero and died as a hero, though a tragic one. He was none other than our own Waheed Murad.
Waheed Murad�s style of acting and his picturisation of songs in films were inimitable and were even copied in the Indian film industry. Murad is still remembered as the chocolate hero of the Pakistani silver screen.
Murad was born on October 2, 1938 in Karachi. He did his Masters in English from the Karachi University in 1963 and then took over his father Nisar Murad�s business � a film production house, Film Arts Karachi. Murad�s fan following still exists in huge numbers in Pakistan and India. The chocolate hero saw the zenith of Pakistani cinema.
In the late 70s, he faced a bad patch in film industry that led him to seclusion. He got disheartened with the Lollywood people and on November 23, 1983 news of his death left many eyes brimming with tears His death created such a vacuum in the Pakistani film industry that is not still filled.
Talking about the legendary hero, senior film journalist Yaseen Goreeja said Waheed Murad�s glamour world career and life has striking similarity to American star Elvis Presley. Both Murad and Persley enjoyed early success, the status of being the most mesmerising personalities of their own countries, great fame and then sudden fall and tragic death. Both the shared many commonalities in life, Mr Goreeja told Daily Times.
LISTEN TO SONG: Akele na jana – Arman
Mr Murad acted in 123 feature films and earned 32 awards for his unmatchable performance. His colleague and a super star in his own right, Nadeem told a TV programme recently: �It was only Waheed Murad who deserved to be a super star�. This was a tribute from a great actor to another great actor. Murad is still loved by Pakistanis as the best entertaining artiste even today.
Film critic Tufail Akhtar told Daily Times Waheed Murad was a one such hero whom Indian film stars Rajesh Khana and Jateendra copied but they could not give even a single performance like him. He said the late actor�s style of song picturisation was unique.
Murad started his film career by producing a film named Insan Badalta Hey.
As an actor he started his film career from SM Yousaf�s Aulad. Then came Daman in which he played second hero opposite Neelo with Sabiha and Santosh in the main lead. He appeared as lead hero in a Heera Aur Pathar opposite Zeba. The director, music composer and songwriter of the film were Pervaiz Malik, Suhail Rana and Masroor Anwar respectively. This team led by Murad as hero and producer again created magic in the shape of film Arman which turned out to be first platinum jubilee film in Pakistan. Its song Akeley Naa Jana is still fresh and hummed by many even after almost forty years. The team produced Ehsan which was again a huge box-office hit.
101 facts about Waheed Murad:
Murad performed in many other fine films opposite heroines such as Zeba, Shamim Ara, Rani, Shabnam, Deeba, Babra Sharif, Naghama Aaliya, Sangeeta, Kaveeta Aasia, Rukhsana, Bahar, Neelo and Rozina. Though, he was a Karachi-based artiste and was not that well versed with the Punjabi language however, he gave some memorable performances in Punjabi films such as Mastana Mahi, Ishq Mera Naan, Sayyo Ni Mera Mahi, Akh Lari Badobadi and Jogi opposite film stars Naghama and Aaliya, Mumtaz Aasia and Anjuman.
Mr Murad was a celebrated hero when it came to the picturisation of romantic songs. He was the star of many of the golden oldies of Pakistani cinema and he enlivened the silver screen with his extraordinary talent in acting and song picturisation. Some of the songs that still turn many nostalgic are Tumhain Kaisay Bata Doon, Kuch Log Rooth Kar Bhi, Dil Tumko Dey Diya, Ko Ko Korina, Jhoom Aye Dil Wo Mera Jan-e- Bahar Aye Ga , Beetay Huway Khuch Din Aisay Hain Tanhai Jinhain Duhrati hey, Mujhe Tum Nazar Say Gira To Rahay Ho, Yun Kho Gaiy Teray Pyar Mein Hum and Socha Tha Piyar Na Karan Gain, Khamosh Hein Nazaray, and Aye Abre Karam Aaj Itna baras. Murad�s favourite song was film Do Raha�s Bhooli Hui Hoon Dastan as he told to Khush Bakhat Shujaat in a radio interview a couple of years before his death.
In the 1970s, Pakistani cinema was all the rage. The dressing style, the hair cut and melodious songs used to be liked and followed by people. Mr Murad�s hair cut was very popular among the young and was called the �Waheed Murad cut�. Murad�s Rishta Hey Pyar Ka was the first Pakistani movie which was shot abroad. His first film as director was Ishara for which he also lent his voice as a singer.
Film critic Khalid Ibrahim told Daily Times that in his hey day Mr Murad once went to Sadar area of Karachi in his white car. Realising it was Murad�s car, a group of 30 college girls covered the vehicle with lipstick kisses.
Waheed Murad got married to Salma, daughter of a Karachi-based industrialist on 17 September 1964. His son Adil Murad, who acted in a film, Raja Sahib, opposite actress Sahiba, is a computer engineer and lives in the United States. His daughter Aaliya who is married to a businessman, lives in Karachi with her mother. On Friday (November 20), a Quran Khawani was held for Murad at the Shah Noor Studios. The film people also arranged a condolence meeting for the late actor. �Waheed Lovers Forum� representatives also laid a floral wreath at his grave at the Gulberg graveyard.
Murad was one of the few educated actors in Pakistan. Despite his hectic film schedule he used to read newspapers and literary books. His favourite poet was Keats and favourite singer was Ume Kulsoom of Egypt. In colognes he liked Paco Roban and his favourite writer was Erica Jones.
Waheed Murad in Arman singing Akele Na JanaMurad�s important films included Mamta, Bahu Begum,Saaz Aur Awaz,Eid Mubarak, Kaneez, Honhar, Bhiya, Jaag Utha Insaan, Dewar Bhabi, Insaniyat, Phir Subha Hogi, Maan Baap, Jan-e-Arzoo, Samandar, Dil Mera Dharkan Teri, Jahan Tum Wahan Hum, Ishara, Saalgira, Tum Hi Ho Mehboob Meray, Ladla, Andleeb, Ik Nagina, Maan Beta, Afsana, Baywafa, Naseeb Apna Apna, Phir Chand Niklay Ga, Chand Sooraj, Neend Hamari Khwab Tumharay, Rim Jhim,, Afshan, Anjuman, Khalish, Naag Muni, Hill Station, Daulat Aur Duniya, Bandagi, Zindagi Aik Safar Hey, Mulaqat, Baharo Phool Barsao, Khwab Aur Zindagi, Unhoni, Jaal, Tum Salamat Raho, Phool Meray Gulshan Ka, Mastani Mehbooba, Jab Jab Phool Khilay, Nishani, Pyari, Apnay Huay Paraiy, Izzat, Shabana, Zubaidah, Deedar, Surriya Bhopali, Nazrana, Parkh, Wada, I Love You, Muhbbat Zindagi Hey, Hero and many others. (Courtesy: Daily Times, PK)
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