Burka Avenger - Pakistan's Female Superhero to Air on GeoTV

[Riaz Haq]

Pantheon of women superheros has a new entry from Pakistan - the Burka Avenger, a mild mannered school-teacher who fights feudal villains and terrorists getting in the way of girls' education.

The cartoon series in Urdu will begin airing on Pakistan's most-watched GeoTV channel in August this year. It has been conceived by one of Pakistan's best-known pop stars, Aaron Haroon Rashid to emphasize the importance of girls’ education and teach children other lessons, such as tolerance and concern for the environment.

It appears that the series is inspired by the story of Malala Yousufzai, a Pakistan teenage school-girl who  miraculously survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban in Swat valley last year. Malala has since become an international icon for girls' education worldwide.  The United Nations declared Malala's 16th birthday this year on July 12 as Malala Day to focus on girls' education.

“Each one of our episodes is centered around a moral, which sends out strong social messages to kids,” Rashid told The Associated Press in his first interview about the show. “But it is cloaked in pure entertainment, laughter, action and adventure.”

Responding to a question about the choice of burqa, Rashid said “It’s not a sign of oppression. She is using the burka to hide her identity like other superheroes". “Since she is a woman, we could have dressed her up like Catwoman or Wonder Woman, but that probably wouldn’t have worked in Pakistan,” Rashid added.

The series is set in Halwapur, a fictional town nestled in the soaring mountains and verdant valleys of northern Pakistan, according to The Associated Press. The Burka Avenger’s real identity is Jiya, whose father, Kabbadi Jan, taught her karate which she uses to defeat her enemies. When not dressed as her alter ego, Jiya does not don a burqa, or even a headscarf to cover her hair.

The main villains are Vadero Pajero, a balding, corrupt politician who wears a dollar sign-shaped gold medallion around his neck, and Baba Bandook, an evil man with a bushy black beard and mustache who is drawn to resemble a Taliban commander.

Caught in the crossfire are the show’s main child characters: Ashu and her twin brother Immu and their best friend Mooli, who loves munching on radishes alongside his pet goat, Golu.

Other major stars featured in Burka Avenger series include Ali Zafar, Ali Azmat and Josh band members.  Like other series featuring major superheros, the series will be promoted through mobile apps, video games, music videos and other merchandise in Pakistan.

The series is an indication that Pakistan's mass media are getting serious about major issues confronting the country. It is a  very timely effort to address two major issues Pakistan faces: Girls education and terrorism. The two issue are intertwined because the Taliban terrorists are among the biggest obstacles to educating girls in Pakistan, particularly in the nation's north western region infested by the Taliban. Series such as these have the potential to bring about a social revolution in Pakistan.

Here's a preview video of the show:


Adil Omar x Haroon- Lady In Black - Burka... by darkinsky
Related Links:

Haq's Musings

Burka Avenger  Videos on Vimeo Channel

UN Malala Day

Pakistan's Cowardly Politicians

Sesame Street in Pakistan

Social Revolution in Pakistan

Pakistan Media Revolution

Out-of-School Children in Pakistan

Terrorism in Pakistan

[Riaz Haq]

It’s just another day in the fictional town of Halwapur, when mayor Vadero Pajero orders local thug Baba Bandook to shut down the girls’ school. “What will girls do with education when they will grow up to scrub floors and cook meals,” they mock. But then the now-famous Burka Avenger swoops in. Using her takht kabaddi skills — combat with pens and books — she thwarts the evil plan and the school is reopened.
But Jiya, aka Burka Avenger, heroine of the eponymous TV series, isn’t the only one. The country is in overdrive, creating animated characters who are regular people by day and crimefighters by night. Kachee Goliyan, possibly Pakistan’s first comic book company, recreated Umru Ayar, a phenomenal figure in Urdu literature, in a comic book. Nofal Khan, Editor, Kachee Goliyan, says, “Whenever we visualised the stories of Umru Ayar, we thought of them as action-packed, exciting adventures, with Ayar moving in and out of different realms, fighting off evil wizards. A lot of people grew up reading his stories and we wanted to invoke nostalgia.”
Role models
A silent cultural revolution is brewing in Pakistan’s art, entertainment and literature scenes. It’s bold, tough and the people’s desperate desire for real change is unmistakable. “Positive role models are very important for Pakistani society. Real-life people can turn out to be imperfect but fictional characters can be projected with the highest morals and values. Wonder Woman or Catwoman may not resonate in Pakistani society, but Burka Avenger does,” says Haroon Rashid, its creator, who is a pop star. The character was number nine on Time magazine’s list of most influential characters of 2013 and there are talks of broadcasting the show in 60 countries soon.

Burka Avenger’s key theme is educating girls and women, which is especially significant in a country with profoundly conservative areas. This is also reflected in real-life hero Malala Yousafzai’s goals. Yousafzai is known for being an education and women’s rights activist, which got her shot by the Taliban in 2012.
Rich narratives
Syed Hamdani created Sergeant Pakistan as a comic and a set of ongoing novellas so that Pakistani kids could look up to someone with humble beginnings who stands up against terrorism. “While watching the news one day, I saw a report of children playing suicide bombers in a game. I have a six-year-old son and I couldn’t stand watching that. It is a failure of humanity if children portray themselves as terrorists,” he says. The first novella is out on Amazon’s Kindle device and proceeds from the project will go to charity.
Meanwhile Pakistan’s first superhero film, Nation Awakes, an ambitious project produced by Aamir Sajjad Ventures, is scheduled for global release in 2016. The superhero, Pakistan, will be portrayed by Aamir Sajjad and the
English-language film has already garnered 148,922 likes on Facebook. “Nation Awakes will deal with things on a global level, where Pakistan will fight for humanity in general. For most people it will be a very different experience to watch a Muslim superhero in action for the first time. The basic aim of this film is to change perceptions,” says Sajjad.
These superheroes reflect the Pakistani people’s desire for social and cultural change. Dr Chloe Gill-Khan, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of South Australia, who studies Pakistani culture and politics, says, “The rise of animated characters and Pakistan’s first-ever superhero film form a crucial part of the broader urban media revolution that is reformist in its outlook, appealing to visions of national reconstruction on multiple levels. The urban popular and underground music scene, television dramas and shows indicate the strengthening of civic voices. Such cultural expressions have the potential to strengthen Pakistan’s cultural economy, revive healthy debate, educate and also challenge national and international stereotypes.”...

http://m.gulfnews.com/http-gulfnews-com-gn-focus-pakistan-superhero...

[Riaz Haq]

The University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication announced on Wednesday that Pakistan's "Burka Avenger," an animated television show about a burka-clad schoolteacher who fights local thugs seeking to shut down the girls' school where she works, will receive one of the 2013 Peabody Awards (Dawn). The Urdu-language show, which airs on Geo TV, emphasizes the importance of girls' education and other lessons, such as not discriminating against others.

The awards, some of the most prestigious prizes in broadcasting, recognize "excellence and meritorious work by radio and television stations, networks, webcasters, producing organizations, and individuals" on an annual basis, and will be handed out at an awards ceremony in New York City on May 19.

http://www.dawn.com/news/1097640/burka-avenger-wins-us-award

[Riaz Haq]

The #Karachi Whiz Kid And #Pakistan's First Hand Drawn Animated Flick, The Glassworker via @forbes. @usmanriaz1990 http://www.forbes.com/sites/sonyarehman/2016/02/21/the-karachi-whiz... …

 

In 2012, a young, unassuming Pakistani musician from Karachi created waves after being selected as a TEDGlobal Fellow, following the success of his brilliant composition, Fire Fly, which went viral a year before.

 

Sharing stage space at TEDGlobal – a conference that brings together trailblazers from across the world to deliver inspiring talks – with his idol, the renowned guitarist, Preston Reed, Usman Riaz was quickly propelled into fame.

 

This year, while still in its initial stages, Riaz’s The Glassworker, Pakistan’s first hand drawn animated production, brings with it the magic and innocence of a Studio Ghibli film.

 

Judging by the production’s teaser, which was also showcased at TED this year, The Glassworker is an enchanting visual treat.

 

Little wonder then, the fact that Riaz successfully met his Kickstarter funding goal in just sixteen days, this month.

 

“I’ve always loved the beauty of glassblowing,” Riaz said, speaking about the production’s concept. “It’s one of those rare art forms where the process of creating it is as beautiful as the finished result.”

 

Riaz, who stands as the production’s writer, director, and unsurprisingly, composer of The Glassworker’s musical score, began drawing well before his interest in music blossomed. “I’ve always loved art and animation,” the Studio Ghibli fan stated, mentioning that after studying a degree in fine arts, music and film overseas, he felt a strong desire to channel each medium into a work of art.

 

“What better way than to combine my work in art, music and storytelling than with animation?”