The saas-bahu serials from India have led to a craze for saris in Pakistan and traders say the obsession has become so big that women there have named the saris after the characters of the popular serials.

Thus you have Kumkum saris, Ramola, Tulsi and Parvati saris and anyone visiting India is told to get them, says Arshad Ali Khan, a trader from Karachi.

“Till a few years back, there were not many takers for saris in Pakistan but suddenly you see women all around wearing saris, even at parties and social gatherings,” says Khan.

It appears as if the floodgates have been opened for foreign entertainment and news channels. The last couple of years have seen an invasion by cable channels, which can be seen wherever you go, from restaurants and homes to shops. This is all part of the phenomenon called ‘globalisation’. Pakistani viewers, noticeably, are losing interest in local channels because of the glitz and glamor of the foreign media. It is easy to see that the majority of images beaming out of television sets are of foreign films and shows. Viewers countrywide prefer Indian music, films and Hollywood flicks and this has resulted in the local channels being relegated to the background.

Moving Closer, a 40-minute documentary by Serendip Productions, was screened at Alhamra Hall-II.

The documentary will also be shown in Bombay and Delhi and later screened on Pakistan Televison, Star Plus and Doordarshan.

Moving Closer is about Indian actress Urmila Matondkar and director Prahlad Kakar’s visit to Lahore earlier this year. The two joined Pakistani actors Resham and Shamyl Khan and video director Saqib Malik to make a music video for the Fuzon song Deewanay.