Latest news with #PakkayDost
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Pakkay Dost' earns Sajal's seal of approval
Singer-songwriter Bilal Maqsood released a second volume of nursery rhymes from children's puppet show Pakkay Dost on YouTube on Tuesday. The first volume came out in 2023 and the show's vibrant visuals and engaging narratives garnered widespread acclaim, fostering a love for Urdu and enriching the lives of countless young viewers. Actor Sajal Ali lauded Maqsood's work on social media, penning, "Bilal Maqsood, you are doing a great job!" She appreciated the show's reignition of Urdu language amongst the youth, "Urdu is a beautiful language and it's high time we stop running away from it." The actor reminded us that it's cool to embrace our mother tongue, "It was always cool! Let's own it, celebrate it and make it even cooler!" On Wednesday, Maqsood took to Instagram to promote the new episodes, "I make Pakkay Dost for kids. I have always longed to make quality content for children and have finally gotten the opportunity to do it after Strings ended. I believe the entertainment industry has stopped focusing on children since the last two decades." Being a father himself, the singer observed, "Our kids are being raised on foreign content, which is out of our control. We cannot limit their screen time but the least we can do is to introduce them to shows that teach them good values, are safe and keep them connected to their culture and language." Expressing why he chose Urdu, Maqsood stated "I made Pakkay Dost because I wanted to make Urdu cool. Kids and parents often run away from Urdu and I wanted to change that. I want to request all parents and teachers to make sure that kids around them watch Pakkay Dost." The show has been captivating young minds with playful storytelling and colourful visuals, fostering a love for the Urdu language while imparting valuable life lessons. This makes it an enjoyable experience for children and a meaningful one for parents who want to instill cultural and linguistic pride in their children. Each episode offers laughter, lessons, and an opportunity for children to connect with their roots. The show has garnered acclaim from parents and educators alike. In January, Maqsood announced partnership with ConnectHear to make Pakkay Dost accessible to the hearing-impaired community through the integration of sign language interpretation. "We are very excited to partner with ConnectHear," said Maqsood. "Our mission is to bring joy, learning and cultural enrichment and create a brighter childhood for all children. This collaboration is a significant step towards making Pakkay Dost truly inclusive and ensuring that every child can experience the magic of our show." "At ConnectHear, we believe in creating a world where no one is left behind," said Arhum Ishtiaq, CTO and Co-Founder, ConnectHear. "This alliance with Pakkay Dost allows us to bridge the gap in children's entertainment and education for the Deaf community. We're not just adding sign language to the show, we're adding joy, imagination, and inclusion to every deaf child's life."
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Sajal Ali applauds ‘Pakkay Dost' for making Urdu fun for kids
Singer-songwriter Bilal Maqsood released a second volume of nursery rhymes from children's puppet show Pakkay Dost on YouTube on Tuesday. The first volume came out in 2023 and the show's vibrant visuals and engaging narratives garnered widespread acclaim, fostering a love for Urdu and enriching the lives of countless young viewers. Actor Sajal Ali lauded Maqsood's work on social media, penning, 'Bilal Maqsood, you are doing a great job!' She appreciated the show's reignition of Urdu language amongst the youth, 'Urdu is a beautiful language and it's high time we stop running away from it.' The actor reminded us that it's cool to embrace our mother tongue, 'It was always cool! Let's own it, celebrate it and make it even cooler!' On Wednesday, Maqsood took to Instagram to promote the new episodes, 'I make Pakkay Dost for kids. I have always longed to make quality content for children and have finally gotten the opportunity to do it after Strings ended. I believe the entertainment industry has stopped focusing on children since the last two decades." Being a father himself, the singer observed, 'Our kids are being raised on foreign content, which is out of our control. We cannot limit their screen time but the least we can do is to introduce them to shows that teach them good values, are safe and keep them connected to their culture and language.' Expressing why he chose Urdu, Maqsood stated 'I made Pakkay Dost because I wanted to make Urdu cool. Kids and parents often run away from Urdu and I wanted to change that. I want to request all parents and teachers to make sure that kids around them watch Pakkay Dost.' The show has been captivating young minds with playful storytelling and colourful visuals, fostering a love for the Urdu language while imparting valuable life lessons. This makes it an enjoyable experience for children and a meaningful one for parents who want to instill cultural and linguistic pride in their children. Each episode offers laughter, lessons, and an opportunity for children to connect with their roots. The show has garnered acclaim from parents and educators alike. In January, Maqsood announced partnership with ConnectHear to make Pakkay Dost accessible to the hearing-impaired community through the integration of sign language interpretation. "We are very excited to partner with ConnectHear," said Maqsood. "Our mission is to bring joy, learning and cultural enrichment and create a brighter childhood for all children. This collaboration is a significant step towards making Pakkay Dost truly inclusive and ensuring that every child can experience the magic of our show." "At ConnectHear, we believe in creating a world where no one is left behind," said Arhum Ishtiaq, CTO and Co-Founder, ConnectHear. "This alliance with Pakkay Dost allows us to bridge the gap in children's entertainment and education for the Deaf community. We're not just adding sign language to the show, we're adding joy, imagination, and inclusion to every deaf child's life.' Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.
Express Tribune
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Bilal Maqsood objects to toxic paint on living statues
Strings alum Bilal Maqsood took to Instagram on Saturday to post a photo of a young living statue performer, calling attention to the hazards of the craft. Addressing the Health Ministry in his caption, Bilal wrote, "You'll find so many kids like this on Khayaban-e-Ittehad and Sea View - their faces painted with shiny silver or gold paint, performing on the streets in this heat." In the photo posted by the singer, the child performer was dressed and painted head-to-toe in gold, sticking out a peace sign to pose for the capture. "What's heartbreaking is that the paint is often made from aluminum powder or lead-based chemicals, which are extremely harmful. Prolonged exposure, especially under the sun, can cause serious skin issues and even lead to skin cancer," Bilal continued. "Something needs to be done. Please regulate this. Educate and protect these children before it's too late," he added. "Don't know who to tag. Any help would be appreciated." As of late, living statue performers – especially children – have been cropping up all over Karachi along traffic signals and footpaths. Bilal's showbiz peers seem to realise this too, as some of them shared his note to their followers. Actors Ayeza Khan and Naveed Raza were among those who elevated the message on Instagram Stories. Netizens in the comments section also validated the Sajni singer's plea. "I honestly have been thinking about this for so long! Finally somebody bought it up!" a user wrote, while another said, "Such a valuable share. We see them every day and just pass by. Thank you for using your platform to raise awareness. I hope the good voices are heard and these little ones are off the street Insha Allah." Other users urged the authorities to act, given how rapidly the issue has been spreading. "Finally someone with a platform has brought this to light. The number of such poor and desperate children has increased in the twin cities as well. It is so concerning. They need to spread awareness and pass some sort of law to discourage acts that are so harmful to their health," one user wrote. Bilal's post hardly comes as a surprise for those closely following his recent endeavour. Earlier this year, he parterned with ConnectHear to integrate Pakistan Sign Language interpretation into Pakkay Dost – his puppet show for kids. He said in a statement, "Our mission is to bring joy, learning, and cultural enrichment, and create a brighter childhood for all children. This collaboration is a significant step towards making Pakkay Dost truly inclusive and ensuring that every child can experience the magic of our show."
Express Tribune
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Strings album 'Duur' turns twenty-four
Strings may have become a thing of the past, but the band's songs have long been immortalised in memory. Former member Faisal Kapadia took to Instagram to celebrate the anniversary of the album Duur, which released in 2000 and marked the end of the band's eight-year-long hiatus. "Today marks twenty-four years since Duur was released worldwide. It's hard to believe how time flies - sometimes it feels like just yesterday when we were working on this album and all those music videos. The journey was truly unforgettable. Thank you for being a part of this amazing ride with us!" Kapadia wrote on Monday. The vocalist's words took his fans on a nostalgic trip, reigniting old memories associated with the album and the eponymous song. "Great album cover and an even better song! Timeless!" remarked one user. "This album defined my childhood! Your music has been a part of my journey, and even though the band isn't together, the legacy of Strings lives on. Thank you for the memories!" another wrote. After Strings disbanded in 2021, the duo comprising Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood branched out into solo careers. While Kapadia, who recently launched his solo album, is still rocking the stage, Maqsood has committed to puppeteering with his latest project Pakkay Dost. In an Instagram post shared in January, Maqsood harked back to his popstar days by playing the keyboard. "On Friday, a fan shared a song from our very first Strings album, and it brought back so many memories. Felt like revisiting it on my keyboard - here's a casual rendition, straight from the heart, just like it was back then. How many of you remember this?" he wrote. The song, Main Ne Tujhe, was an offering from Duur. Safe to say, the short clip had the same effect on Strings fans that Kapadia's post did. A user simply posed, "How can we not know this song by heart?"
Express Tribune
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Bilal Maqsood's new stage
KARACHI: If you were to chart Bilal Maqsood's trajectory in Pakistani music, it would map the soundtracks of a generation. As one half of the pop rock band Strings (with Faisal Kapadia), he helped define a collective sense of longing, nostalgia, and the complexities of love, drawing millions to his plaintive guitar riffs and poetic lyricism. However, in recent years, his artistic journey has veered into unexpected terrain. When I meet Bilal at his studio, it is not hard to believe that he is the pen and mind behind the comic shenanigans of his puppet show, Pakkay Dost. There's an air of quiet intent to the space: softly flickering scented candles, a workspace meticulously arranged, and Bilal himself, casually ensconced in thick-rimmed glasses, calm and comfortable, worlds away from the chaotic energy of the vinyl-strewn, popcorn-scented realm of Mera Bichraa Yaar I have always associated him with. "Strings was a romantic band. Our songs were mostly about love. Now making a song like that feels very superficial to me," he reflects, leaning forward, his words measured, speaking of a transformation years in the making. Bilal tells me of a Strings fan he met recently who declared his transition to puppetry and kids' entertainment a "fall from grace." A sentiment, no doubt, shared by many fans of a band lucky enough to inspire inexhaustible nostalgia. But Bilal has moved on. "This, right now, is fulfilling a much bigger purpose. It makes me really, really happy. Maybe this is what I was looking for all my life. Mothers come to me with their little kids and they say, 'This uncle made Pakkay Dost' and I feel happy. I have a new fanbase in the making, one whose height is just about two feet," he shares. A 'khandaani' humour Premiering in September 2023, the first episode of Pakkay Dost introduces Miraal, a purple know-it-all with whimsical wisdom, and Mateen, blue and not so smart. Trying to fix his umbrella, Mateen takes up Miraal's offer to embrace the rain prompting the two to break into the witty "Jab baarish ziada aati hai / Tau pani ziada aata hai." "If you watch two Pakkay Dost episodes in one go, you will observe that it has a certain type of humour. I can't put it in brackets," Bilal remarks, the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "In my family, we are all very funny people. Pakkay Dost's style of humour is my family's post-dinner humour." Bajjo, the green monster, draws inspiration from Bilal's beloved aunt and playwright, Fatima Surayya Bajia, and is brought to life by his niece, Alizeh, who has been imitating Bajia since her childhood. Mateen, the blue character, is modelled after Bilal's mother's kitchen help and voiced by Umer Adil, the show's director. Bajjo and Mateen are joined by Lal Baig, Tufail, Jagga, and Miraal. It's this unmistakable warmth, the same humour that has resonated in his family for years, that gives Pakkay Dost its heart. The show doesn't speak down to its young audience. Instead, it treats them as equals - full of curiosity and insight, deserving of a world that has little interest in preaching. "My vision was to create high-quality content for kids because we don't have that here. When people saw Pakkay Dost, they immediately caught on to it. I have been getting amazing feedback from teachers and parents, who tell me the kids love it. I get pictures on Instagram of kids having a Pakkay Dost-themed birthday. They get screenshots from the show blown out to make cutouts for the cake and all. Slowly and gradually the craze is getting to this age group that wants Pakkay Dost-themed events, merchandise and all," Bilal explains. Growing up with 'Sesame Street' His voice is warm, suffused with the sincerity that one might expect from someone who has fully embraced a new path. As much as it is about kids, the singer's affinity for the show is rooted in something far deeper than entertainment and its tricky accomplices - fame and profit. "My intention was never to look for views and likes. I just wanted to do this because growing up Sesame Street inspired me a lot. I wanted to recreate Sesame Street in a way that was culturally relevant to us." He adds, "The core target audience is aged 3-7. Not 8. When kids turn 8, their interests start to change. They want more action-oriented content." An Urdu-language puppet show is not a novel concept in Pakistan. The 1970s saw PTV's widely cherished Kaliyan and its iconic Uncle Sargam. This is a history Bilal is intimately familiar with, turning this project into a labour of love and passion. "I have wanted to work on this for the last 25 years. I never got the time for it back in the days of Strings. But the next day after we called it quits, I began working on Pakkay Dost." If there's any bewilderment for those who revere his musical career, it dissolves the moment he speaks about his love for puppeteering. "I think I have found my life's purpose now. I want to make every child's childhood memorable and wholesome." Accessibility, season 3, and more "When I first began, the goal was simple: to create quality Urdu content for children. But as I went on, I realised there was so much more I could do. I started to think beyond just producing content. I wanted to make every child's childhood unforgettable, to create something that didn't just entertain but also had an impact," Bilal reflects, his voice imbued with the kind of introspection that reveals how deeply he's thought about his mission. He continues, "If you look at a lot of Pakistani kids' cartoons, you'll see they are often rooted in religion, and they garner millions of views. That wasn't the kind of show I wanted to make. I wanted something that spoke to every child in Pakistan, regardless of their religion. In Pakkay Dost, there's no content designed specifically for Muslims - because my focus was always on diversity." The show's thoughtful approach to diversity was a conscious choice from the start. But as the singer's vision for inclusivity deepened, so did his sense of responsibility to ensure Pakkay Dost was accessible to all. "Then ConnectHear reached out to collaborate, and it felt like the obvious next step. I knew this was the direction I needed to take. To make this content accessible to an audience that often gets overlooked." A new version of Pakkay Dost season came out on January 28 with all episodes integrating Pakistan Sign Language, an endeavour that took about two months. Going forward, fans can expect sign language to be a regular feature of every episode. Looking forward, Pakkay Dost fans can anticipate thrilling developments. According to Bilal, season three begins shooting in April. He announces, "There is a surprise coming. A celebrity woman, liked by many people, will join our puppet characters as a human neighbor. We cannot reveal her name right now. Another twist is that instead of separate songs, every episode will have a storyline with conflict, resolution, and themes."
