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Fasi
Zaka was profiled by Herald as one of Pakistan’s
most promising young people in 2005, declared as one
of the news-makers of the year 2006 by The News and
is a member of Virtual Think Tanks of Pakistan. His
launch pad into stardom has been the hit chat show On
the Fringe (MTV Pakistan) which he hosts, scripts and
co-produces with his cousin Zeeshan Parwez (of Sajid
& Zeeshan fame). He hosts two weekly radio shows
named after him where the interactive conversations
turn from mild to wild in seconds and writes thought-provoking
columns for leading newspapers and magazines.
And if that was not enough to sate him, he is working
at a leading ad agency Adcom, as the Head of Ideas for
Telenor and has worked on projects for World Bank, USAID
and British Council among others. And he is only 30.
(He chuckles at my incredulous expression. ‘I
am just a good multi-tasker, that’s all.’)
I started with the most obvious question; how did On
the Fringe come about? ‘Indus Music’s VJs
went on a strike about certain employment issues (which
I didn’t know of at the time). They needed programming
and approached my cousin Zeeshan who asked me if I wanted
to do something on TV. Before that we had worked together
on documentaries. It just sort of started from there
and evolved over time,’ Fasi replies. On the Fringe
touched the right chord with the youth by being a social
and political discourse with pop stars under the guise
of a formula chat show. More and more Pakistani singers
are making gold from the dearth of pop music in India
and border-hopping for exposure and of course revenue.
‘It’s not insecurity, it’s just another
market,’ Fasi explains. But doesn’t this
all go to the singers’ head and they lose decorum?
Last September, Jal sang Dil Dil Pakistan, Jan Jan Hindustan
at a concert in India; is this lack of patriotism or
India-Pakistan bhai bhai saga? ‘Neither,’
Fasi remarks, ‘I do believe that Jal probably
stooped to the lowest common denominator to get an ovation
from the crowd, based on the shallowness of a rhetorical
adaptation of the song. But Dil Dil Pakistan’s
role as the counter culture anthem of Pakistan died
long ago when it was expropriated by Pepsi. Music is
heavily sponsored now, and the cola bands of yore have
been replaced by telecom boys. Is sponsorship a positive
trend? ‘Sponsorship isn’t good or bad in
itself; it’s the fine print of the contract that
decides its effects. When mindless entertainment gets
sponsored, its fine, like Britney Spears. However, if
bands like Rage Against the Machine were to get sponsored
and they suddenly stopped writing socially aware lyrics
because the sponsoring brand wants to be associated
with sales and not revolution, then sponsorship becomes
a problem. A tamer version of this is what happened
to Junoon. That’s when sponsorship becomes a problem.
But when a pure entertainment pop star like Ali Haider
gets sponsored, it’s not an issue.’
Fasi’s numerous editorials reveal that underneath
the funny man veneer lies a sensitive soul. ‘What
I fear about our country is that the only thing that
gets people riled up is sexual morality or purdah, not
the persistence of bonded labour, not the unending spate
of acid attacks on women, not the mushrooming of stove
burnings, nor the ghetto-ization of religious minorities.
The crux of my serious side is that I see Pakistan as
a country with immensely talented and generous people.
To watch them wither away into subservience to the ruling
classes that keep them underdeveloped is unforgivable,’
he condemns. ‘I hope at least in my lifetime I
will see this change.’
It is time to bid adieu. Any final words on what changes
the entertainment sector should be vying for? ‘Pay
the writers more — that’s where quality
begins.’ With that Fasi heads off for a brainstorming
session at the office.
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