MIXTAPE Podcast

In this episode, we explore Bhansali’s much-talked-about Netflix show, Heeramandi. We break down what makes it a must-watch and where it falls short. 🌟
🎬We chat about the importance of creating our own shows and sharing our unique stories.
🎶 We take a nostalgic trip down memory lane with some classic tunes and discover how we often know more about Western culture than they do about ours.
🌍 Plus, we explore how expats often feel stuck in a time warp, leading to a disconnect with those who stayed behind.
Don’t miss out on this engaging discussion! 📲
Shows we discuss:
Cunk on Earth
Depp vs Heard
Shrinking
Ted Lasso
Barry
Fiasco
What We Do in the Shadows
Penny Dreadful
Haunting of Bly Manor
Haunting of Hill House
Fresh Prince of Bel Air
The music we discuss:
Boybands like Backstreet Boys, Take That, N Sync etc.
Strings, Junoon, Adele
Books mentioned:
Taboo by Dr. Fauzia Saeed
The Earth Transformed by Peter Frankopan
A Year of Reading Dangerously by Andy Miller
My Life by Bill Clinton
Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama
Hit the like button, share, and subscribe for more engaging content!

In the second episode of our series, we explore the impact that books and TV shows have on shaping our basic perceptions and understanding of the world. We begin by discussing the therapeutic aspects of reading, which serves as a refuge from daily stresses and a form of self-care. We discuss how the roots of our reading habits are often formed early in childhood through the environment that we’re brought up in. We briefly touch upon the portrayal of Pakistani culture in Indian media, stereotyping and the critical need for nuanced representation. We also discuss the ethical challenges of separating art from the artist. Lastly, we talk about the importance of using our voices to challenge injustices and the dangers of remaining silent in the face of adversity. Featured Books: All About Love by bell hooks The Other in the Mirror by Sehyr Mirza Mightier - Anthology of stories from the ZHR Writing Prize Conversations with Friends and Normal People by Sally Rooney Bombay Stories by Manto Weather by Jenny Offil Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates Five Go On A Strategy Away Day by Bruno Vincent Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James Earth Transformed by Peter Frankopan In Search of Fatima (Biography) by Ghada Karmi The Hundred Years War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi Featured Shows: Ripley 3 Bodies Problem The Gentlemen Crashing Eid Depp vs Heard Castle Ted Lasso Brooklyn Nine-Nine Schitt’s Creek

In our debut episode, we look at the nuanced world of entertainment, exploring the subtle messages often overlooked. We talk about why it's important to pay attention to both the art and the artist, and how the younger generation, Gen Z, is handling it all in a pretty cool way.

New series alert! Introducing "Between the Lines", a brand new series under the MIXTAPE podcast umbrella! Your hosts for this exciting journey are Wajiha Hyder and Fatima Arif. Join us as we delve into a mix of pop culture wonders – think books, television, cinema, music, and everything else that makes life awesome. Throughout the series, we'll be peeling back layers and exploring the trends that catch our eye. Plus, stay tuned for guest interviews down the line! So tune in, hit play, and embark on this adventure with us. Don't miss out – join the conversation and be part of the fun!Transcript

In this episode, Gauher Aftab, and Moneeza Burney, LSU's Founder and Director, talk about the inspiration behind the organization, successes, and challenges over the 10 year period, and their plans for the future.   

The LSU- Leadership for Social Uplift (formerly known as Lahore Students Union) is a youth platform for extracurricular activities, community service, and social leadership based in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Quetta. Founded in 2013, they have been running successful volunteer-based community service programs.  

You can get in touch with the team by emailing them at info@lahorestudentsunion.com

Ayesha Husain has had a long career as an educator. She has a Master’s degree in English Literature, and an MPhil in Educational Leadership and School Improvement from the University of Cambridge. She is also a Chevening and Cambridge Trust scholar. She enjoys exploring new cuisines, music, and traveling the world. She lives in Lahore with her husband, three children, and their Labrador. What More Could She Possibly Want? Book Extract: Noor’s stressful marriage leaves her struggling to strike a balance between her inner and outer worlds. As her hope of happiness fades, she sinks into depression and finds herself in a treacherous relationship. Faced with difficult choices, Noor must find a way to achieve inner peace and happiness.

Granaz Baloch dons’ multiple hats. She is a water researcher who also works on gender equality issues and community development. Baloch is also the Founder and Director of UDaan. The focus of her work revolves around UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which focus on the themes of poverty, education, clean water, sanitation, and gender equality. Baloch is working as a water researcher and Teaching Fellow at the Department of Natural and Basic Sciences University of Turbat, Balochistan. She has an undergrad degree in Inorganic Chemistry from SBK Women University, Quetta, and an M.Phil in Chemistry from the University of Turbat. Besides these qualifications, she is also an Acumen Fellow 2018, Alumni of YPFP and PUAN Alumni. She is also an alumni of the Australia Awards short course for Water Governance in a Federated System Pakistan and a short course of Water Law and Gender from Panjwani-Hisaar Water Institute (PHWI). Her personal interests include; traveling, music, books, and tea. This was originally recorded for Mashable Pakistan.

Sonya Rehman and Mehr F Husain, talk about all that went into writing and publishing, Wolfie.

Wolfie is a children’s book written by Sonya and edited and published by Mehr via Zuka Books.

You can buy the book at https://www.instagram.com/zuka.books

In this episode (originally recorded for Mashable Pakistan), Fatima Bhutto talks about writing in today’s landscape, and the South Asia Literary Mentorship programme that she is a part of.

The South Asia Literary Mentorship programme aims to help budding writers learn the ropes of the field and help them navigate their way in the literary world. Joining the team for fictional work, Bhutto is mentoring a writer over the course of twelve months, starting January 2021. For details about the programme visit https://soniafaleiro.wixsite.com/southasiaspeaks

Fatima Bhutto is the author of seven books; a combination of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Her two latest books, The Runaways is a novel that explores radicalization through the lives of three young individuals with very diverse backgrounds, and New Kings of the World: Dispatches from Bollywood, Dizi and K-pop is a non-fiction book that explores the new cultural trends that are on the rise.

Mehr F. Husain and Saad Sarfraz Sheikh published their coffee table book, Pakistan: A Fashionable History, in 2020. A first-of-its-kind coffee table book that documents the country’s fashion. Despite our rich and diverse fashion heritage, there has been no formal documentation about the various phases of Pakistan’s fashion and its impact on society and vice versa. 

In this episode (originally hosted for Mashable Pakistan), the authors talk about their book from the stage of an idea to a publication.

Jahan Ara Chughtai is a trauma-informed therapist trained from the University of Rochester, NY on the Fulbright scholarship. In Lahore, she works with clients in private practice.

In this episode of the MIXTAPE Podcast, she talks about the impact on the mental health of people working in disaster-hit areas.

Wajiha Haider, is a journalist working as the Editor of the Literati section of The News on Sunday.

In this episode of the MIXTAPE Podcast, Wajiha talks about all that an editor does, the role publications play in supporting authors, and much more.

“No Honour” plunges the readers into an atmosphere so choked with misogyny it is a wonder the characters are able to breathe.

In this episode of MIXTAPE Book Club, Awais Khan talks about his journey as an author and his latest novel, No Honour.

In this episode, Rakhshanda Jabeen shares her journey of joining off-roading while maintaining a full-time career in the banking sector.

In this episode, Musharraf Ali Farooqi shares all that went into the making of the qissa series collection in collaboration with GETZ Pharma.

Musharraf Ali Farooqi Ali is a Pakistani-Canadian author, translator, and storyteller. In addition to his fiction and translation projects, he is working on establishing an Urdu language publishing program specializing in children's literature and classics. Musharraf also founded the publishing house KITAB, launched the online Urdu Thesaurus, and designed the interactive storytelling and reading initiative STORYKIT Program. You can buy them at thislink. 

Muhammad Ali Samejo is an author, qualified English Language Instructor, and Corporate Skills Trainer, through which he shares his love for all things sacred to the English-speaking world. He is a self-proclaimed pop culture aficionado, pun-meister extraordinaire, and sort-of grammar nazi. In this episode, he talks about his latest book Legends of Karachi, and about his journey to becoming a writer. You can find him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/masamejo

Omar Farooq Mirza, is a Pakistani-American doctor turned comic book creator. He believes that the fields of science and art need to be given equal importance and respect. Omar uses the medium to tell diverse stories from the rich lesser-known aspects of the South Asian culture through his series called Zindaan, a politically motivated series titled Incapable Trump, and his latest series that is focused on mental health, Consult Liaison Psychiatry.

Midnight Doorways: Fables from Pakistan taps into various forms of speculative fiction. While each of the stories is unique, the common denominator for all of them is the desi context around which they are developed. In this episode of MIXTAPE Book Club, Usman T. Malik talks about speculative fiction and how this anthology came to being.

In this episode of Mind Talks, Dr. Tahir Munir shares what made his professional community predict that the next pandemic is going to be that of mental health, how it continues to impact and how can we manage it.

In this episode of Mind Talks, Dr. Tahir Munir gives a holistic overview of what is depression and the need to destigmatize this mental health condition.

In this episode of Mind Talks, Dr. Tahir Munir shares tools that will help us identify and learn how to deal with anxiety. We also talk about some common misconceptions around this mental health condition.

Bagh-e-Hind is a first of its kind multidisciplinary exhibition conceptualised around the olfactory landscape of Mughal-era South Asia, presented as a multimedia exhibition with both online and offline components. It is a collaboration between Bharti Lalwani, an art critic, and perfumer, and Nicolas Roth, a literary scholar, and historian whose research explores the history of gardens, horticulture, and material and intellectual culture of the subcontinent.

You can find the online components are still available as archives and accessible for the general public around the globe at https://www.baghehind.com/

In the first episode of the Mind Talk series, Dr. Tahir Munir talks about the basics of mental health, its importance, and what are some key things everyone should adopt for holistic wellbeing.

Snuffing Out the Moon takes you on a journey across epochs and civilizations, through intensely personal journeys that investigate the legitimacy of religion and authority, and chronicle the ascent of dissent. Dr. Osama Siddique shares his journey of writing this novel, how he ended up becoming an author, and more in this episode of MIXTAPE Book Club.

In this episode of MIXTAPE I talk to our resident sports nerd, Hammad Anwar about cricket – the game, its politics and some interesting book recommendations.

Hammad Anwar works in the public sector with a special interest in storytelling through digital communications. He is passionate about telling stories that are changing narratives, and in another life used to write scripts and comic books.  He is the founder of Sukhan and co-founder of Mani's Cricket Myths. You can follow some of his work at the following links:

youtube.com/c/SukhanOfficialpk

youtube.com/c/ManiCricketMyths

youtube.com/c/OverTheLinepk

Irtifa is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the Forman Christian College University’s School of Management. She is a Fulbright alumna and completed her Masters in Advertising from University of Florida. She has been associated with the marketing communications industry for over 15 years.

Recently, she founded a support platform for the maker community called The Tinkers Collective to harness the power of community to promote creative entrepreneurship in the country.

In this episode I talk to her about the teaching profession, the need for mentoring, how the Tinkers Collective came into being and how they are on a mission to promote individual and community well-being through the arts.

You can connect with The Tinkers Collective on Instagram at @thetinkerscollective and their Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/thetinkerscollective

Ameena Ahmad has an LLB(Hons) from University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.

She is the daughter of Syed Sardar Ahmed on whose life story the biographical fiction book, Walking the Divide – A tale of a journey home is based on.

This book is curated by Halima Khan. Khan has a Masters in Communication Studies and English Literature and has always been naturally drawn to the intrigue that the subject of history offers.

In this episode Ameena shared details about her father’s personality, experiences and how this book came into being.

Aleena Ashraf is a graduate of COMSATS University, Islamabad. She has an undergrad degree in Biosciences. She is quite passionate about storytelling and her preferred genre is fantasy.

Through her fiction, she is highlighting some of the most crucial topics we face today including; racism, mental health, bullying, personal struggles to name a few.

Soar is her first publication and it is the first book in a series that she is working on. It is quite encouraging to see young Pakistani authors exploring diverse genres of storytelling.

Uzma Aslam Khan’s latest novel, The Miraculous True History of Nomi Ali, is a classically and lyrically constructed novel telling the story of a forgotten episode from our history.

A much-needed work of historical fiction, the novel deals with the Andaman Islands and the prison colony that was established there during the British rule. This part of the pre-partition history of the subcontinent has somehow slipped through the mainstream recollection and has been reduced to a footnote.

Khan reads from the book after our recent podcast episode where we talked to her about all of her novels.

Uzma Aslam Khan is a Pakistani author.

She has written five novels which include; The Story of Nobel Rot (2001),Trespassing (2003), The Geometry of God (2008), Thinner than Skin (2012) and her latest book is called The Miraculous True History of Nomi Ali (2019).

In this episode of MIXTAPE podcast, I got to talk to her about her entire body of work without giving out any major spoilers for the readers.

Rizwan Takkhar runs a wedding photography business with his wife Palwasha Minhas, based in Lahore.

They are known for their unique photography style that is focused on capturing the stories and raw emotions of the events they cover. In addition to this combining his psychology background with his photography skills, Rizwan started a series on Instagram #CaptiveAutonomy.

In this MIXTAPE podcast episode in addition to talking about the storytelling aspect of wedding photography, he shares his journey of how he went from not ever owning a camera to now being a professional photographer. Rizwan is also one of the co-hosts of the TPR podcast.

Sher Muhammad Khan, popularly known by his pen name Ibn-e-Insha, was a Pakistani Urdu poet, humorist, travelogue writer and newspaper columnist. 

He was born in Phillaur, tehsil of Jalandhar District, Punjab, India on 15 June, 1927. In 1946, he received his B.A. degree from Punjab University and subsequently, his M.A. from University of Karachi in 1953.

During his professional career he was associated with various governmental services including Radio Pakistan, the Ministry of Culture and the National Book Centre of Pakistan. Ibn-e-Insha also served in the UN for some time which gave him the opportunity to travel, all of which served to inspire the travelogues he later penned. He was also quite active in the Progressive Writers Movement. 

Ibn-e-Insha is considered as one of the best poets and writers of his generation, and was awarded the Pride of Performance by the then President of Pakistan in 1978. He died of Hodgkin's Lymphoma on 11 January, 1978.

Shama Noman is a passionate educator, mother and occasionally flippant storyteller. She loves children and shares her classroom experiences via her educational initiative, The Y Teacher. She is currently working with The Emirates Literature Foundation and runs a children's story writing competition.

Sabdezar Irfan is a visual communication artist based in Lahore. She combines her passions of writing and illustrating to tell stories.

Grey Matter is her debut graphic novel that breaks the barriers of the medium and tells a story that we see quite commonly but talking about it is still a taboo.

You can get your copy by contacting Zuka Books via their social media.

Mehr F Husain is a Lahore based journalist and co-author of the first of its kind pop culture book, Pakistan: A Fashionable History. She has recently started her own publishing platform by the name of Zuka Books.

In this episode we talk about how good interviews tell great stories, her experience archiving Pakistan’s fashion industry’s history and the present and future of local publication industry.

Syed Ahmed Shah popularly known as Patras Bokhari, was a Pakistani diplomat, writer, humorist, and broadcaster. He served as the first Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations. 

He was born to a Kashmiri family in Peshawar, in undivided India. Shah early education was from Edwardes Mission School in Peshawar and later he studies English Literature at the Government College, Lahore. He moved to United Kingdom where he received his Tripos from the Emmanuel College, Cambridge. 

After returning to Lahore Shah taught English at Government College in 1927. He became a prominent part of the Muslim intelligentsia in South Asia. Shah moved to eventually become Director General of All India Radio in Delhi and then Principal of Government College. He was appointed as the country's first envoy to the United Nations in New York City from 1951 and 1954, followed by the Under Secretary-General of the United Nations for Information until 1958. 

Shah started using the pen name Peter, as a sign of respect for his teacher Peter Watkins, when he wrote in English. For his Urdu writings it became Patras. His collection of essays, Patras Kay Mazameen, published in 1927 is said to be a timeless asset to the Urdu humor writings. 

Hammad Anwar works in the public sector with a special interest in storytelling through digital communications. He is Founder of Sukhan and Co-founder of Mani's Cricket Myths. He is passionate about telling stories that are changing narratives, and in another life used to write scripts and comic books.

Saba Dar is an environmental professional and has worked in areas of water conservation and environmental sustainability with special focus on Water Stewardship in the Textile Sector, Climate Change and Water Security.

In her current capacity, Saba is currently working as a Consultant Water Stewardship Basin Coordinator for WWF-Germany and supports the development and implementation of Water Stewardship projects in the textile sector in WWF’s priority river basins in China, India, Pakistan, Vietnam and Turkey while facilitating coordination between all the basin teams.

She has a keen interest in framing the narrative on water around its value; cultural, social, economic and environmental and how action oriented efforts can help address issues associated with water scarcity. Her knack for storytelling translates into writing environmental stories for various publications.

In this episode of MIXTAPE we talk about the water crisis – the global challenges, the situation in Pakistan, narrative around the value of water, multi-cultural context and what can be done to preserve the most important natural resource.

Born in Heera Mandi, Lahore's famous red-light district, she is a tour guide by day and a classical singer by night. Despite the worst of humanity every day she remains the 'Troublemaker', unable to give up on her dreams. An Indian filmmaker encourages her to enroll in a music contest that can take her to New York, her dreams take flight. But as she her dreams seem within her grasp a family secret threatens to upend the new life she has built for herself.

Skyfall is Saba Karim Khan’s debut novel. From the oppressive walls of religious hypocrisy to the orange jumpsuits of American prisons, it is an engaging story that explores the shades of grey of life and teaches the strength of human strength and desire for love in a time of hate.

Shanal Kazi, is a lawyer turned creative who has worked in the corporate and development sector and she loves to write about art.

In this episode of MIXTAPE we talk to Shanal about her ancestral home, Thar. She shares her personal and professional experiences of the area that don’t always make it to the mainstream media but should.

The Merman and the Book of Power brings into the English the classical qissa genre, a fabulist storytelling form common to the oral and written literatures of Urdu, Persian, and Arabic.  

Musharraf Ali Farooqi through this qissa gives life to magical creatures, ill-starred lovers, and the phenomena that might bring the world to its end.

Hammad Anwar works in the public sector with a special interest in storytelling through digital communications. He is Founder of Sukhan and Co-founder of Mani's Cricket Myths. He is passionate about telling stories that are changing narratives, and in another life used to write scripts and comic books.

In this episode of MIXTAPE we talk about all things Urdu Literature with Hammad and how it influenced his interest in storytelling.

For this episode I sat down with Shama Noman for an insightful conversation about the role storytelling plays in the education system.

Shama is a passionate educator, mother and occasionally flippant storyteller. She loves children and shares her classroom experiences via her educational initiative, The Y Teacher. She is currently working with The Emirates Literature Foundation and runs a children's story writing competition.

For the first episode of Mixtape, I invited a group of my friends to discuss how storytelling has impacted their personal and professional lives. They share their experiences and moments that have inspired them as we talk about the various modes in which stories can be told.  

Wajiha Haider, a journalist working at The News on Sunday.

Hammad Anwar, a digital content creator and founder of Sukhan and various other sports platforms as well. 

Aroosa Shaukat, a journalist who has worked in mainstream print, television and digital media for the past ten years. She has reported on politics, governance, social development and human rights. She is a Chevening South Asia Journalism Programme Fellow.

Shanal Kazi, a lawyer turned creative who has worked in the corporate and development sector and she loves to write about art.   

Mixtape of stories that educate, communicate and entertain.