简介：“MUSICtrainingisjustyourvoicebeingwhippedintoshape.Itisdifficultforateachertomouldanyvoiceintoatolerableandpleasantone.Technicalstufflikerhythmandtunearetobeconsideredatalltimes”,saysTahiraSyedofanartthatshewasforcedtolearnbyhersingingqueenmother,MalikaPukhraj.Sittingamidstaloungeaboundingwithtraditionalpeedas,miniatures,aconventionalfireplacerepletewithcoalsandnewlookchics,Tahirarevealsthatitwashermother’sdesirethatatleastoneofherchildrenfollowherfootsteps. Beingtheyoungest,Tahirawasmadetolearnsingingsincethetenderageof12.Aftertwoyearsofrigorousclassicalmusictrainingbyateacher,Tahirawasthenpersonallytaughtmusicbyhermother.Whileitisimperativetohavetherightteachertoguideonewhilelearningthebasicsofmusic,onthewholeitisaverytoughandhumiliatingprocess. AsTahirarecalls,“mymotherwasverycriticalofme.ImaginelearningatotallynewlanguageorartlikeLatinorHebrewwhichmakesnosensewhatsoevertoyoubutstillyouhavetogoon.Nowadays,manyyoungstersareenthralledbypopiconslikeHadiqa,Abrar,etcetera,butalmostnoonewantstooptforclassicalsinging.” MalikaPukhrajwantedherchildrentohaveallkindsofattributes,talentsandinshortberefinedfromheadtotoe.ThisurgepropelledTahiratolearnthesitarandpainting.“MymothertookmetoUstadAllahBukshtoteachmepaintingatatimewhenIwasalsostudyingformybachelors.ButitwasimpossibleformetokeepupwitheverythingandintheendIdecidedtogiveupthesitarasitalsoposedadangertomyqualityofsingingbecauseofthestrainplayingitexertsontheneckmusclesand,therefore,thevocalchords.” ButwhileTahira’smother’sliferevolvedaroundsinging,herlifedoesnot.Sheenjoyssingingbutisnotcrazyaboutit.However,thefactremainsthatshestillthinksofsingingasagreatgiftpresentedtoherbyhermother. Tahiranaturallyenjoyslisteningtomusicandothermusicians.NusratFatehAliKhan,HamidAliBelaandBegumAkhtartopTahira’slifelongfavouriteslist,whileFuzonandMekaalHasancomeunderhereverydayfavourites.ThekindofmusicTahirapreferstolistentousuallyiskafisandghazals.Sincegrowingup,shehasstucktokafisallthemore. Surprisingly,TahiradoesnotlistentoWesternmusicbutlikesIndiansongs.SheregularlybuysnewlyrealisedIndianalbumsandA.R.Rehmanisanabsolutebuyeverytime.WhensheisinamellowmoodTahiralistenstoRafiandMukesh.OnefindsitsurprisingthatTahiraactuallyremembersallthewordsofthesongsthatshelearnedwhenshewasyoung,whichoneusuallytendstoforgetastimepasses. AsweturntotalkaboutTVserialsanddramas,TahiralikesLandaBazaarandisabsolutelycrazyaboutTereIshqMein.FiftypercentoftheattractionforTahirainthelatterserialisthetitlesongbyGulzar. Turningtotalkaboutactors,theladyrevealsthatfromLollywood,herhotfavouritesareShaan,ReemaandSaima.SheespeciallylikedboththemoviesMajajanandChurian.InBollywood,shehadbeenafaithfulfanofAmitabhBachchanuntilthearrivalofShahrukhKhanwhohastakenalittleofheraffection.Also,thereisAamirKhan,RaniMukherjeewhomshehasjustbeguntolikeandthegorgeousAishwaryaRaiisapleasuretowatch. ShereiteratesthefactthatLollywoodandBollywoodcannotbecomparedtoeachother.“ActorsandactressesinPakistanworkinunfairconditions,arepaidlessandyetrecenteffortsmadeinourcinemaareworthyofpraise.” AWoodyAllenfan,Tahiracantraversemilestowatchhismovies.Thefirsttimeshewatchedhisfilmswaswhenshewas16or17.DeconstructingHarry(1997)andTaketheMoneyandRun(1969)aretwoofhisfilmsthatshelikedverymuch.MorerecentlyshehasseenScoop(2006). Tahiraalsolovestoread.Makingitapointtoreadeverysingleday,shecannotsleepwithouthavingherdailydoseofbooks.HeralltimefavouritesaretheSouthAmericanandIndianauthorswhoseculturesandperspectivesareverysimilartoourown.GabrielGarciaMarquez,IsabelAllendeandVikramSetharetheonessheprefersoverothers.Nowadays,sheisreadingEmpressoftheSplendidSeason. “Booksarelikejewelsthatcanbereadagainandagain.Andtheimpacttheyhaveoverthereaderisenormous.”ShealsohasapenchantforJapaneseandChinesewriterslikethe1940sreleaseofTheMakiokaSistersbyJunichiroTanizaki.NeverhavingreadorseenWesternorwarbooksandmovies,Tahiracallsherselfahorrorbuffofthehighestorder.Aboutclassics,TahiraisoftheviewthatThomasHardy,CharlesDickensandsuchstoriesaredepressing,darkandtragicforyoungsters. “Lookingback,Ithinkthatreadingthosebookswasapainfulexperienceastherewasnoupliftingexperienced.Onthecontrary,thesebooksprovidedatruedepictionoflifeandwhatmanhastosufferinthisworld.” TahirahasnevereverreadselfhelpbooksandsheinfacthatesDaleCarnegie.“Ifyouhavetofindoutfromotherpeoplehowtoliveyourlife,thenthereissomethingverywrongwithyou,”ishowsheexplainsit. NaseerFarooqi’snovelswerethefirstEnglishnovelsbyaPakistanithatsheread.ShehasalsoreadKamilaShamsieandMohsinHamidandlikesMothsmokeverymuch.Replyingtoaquestiononwhethershetriedahandatwritingherself,Tahirasaysthatshecandistinguishbetweengoodandbadwriting,butshehasabsolutelynoinclinationtowardswritingandcallsherselfpatheticinthisregard.