Print

    A Night Out with Five Hilarious Females: 'The Auratnaak Show' in Islamabad

    Written by: Zahra Rao
    Posted on: December 26, 2016 | | 中文

    (L-R) The 'fabulous five': Annie, Faiza, Ayesha, Sana and Fatima

    The Auratnaak Show, a comedic performance by an all-female comedy troupe, has been causing quite a storm in Pakistan since the last year. With the credible Kuch Khaas (a not-for-profit social enterprise) hosting its first show in the capital, all it took was a simple social media campaign and some good old word-of-mouth to get a full house event at the London Book Company in Kohsar Market.

    A group of five dynamic and gut-wrenchingly funny comediennes flew over from Karachi on the 23rd of December to present The Auratnaak Show in Islamabad – an early Christmas present of sorts. Since this was the first comedy show I had ever attended, my friend and I made our way to the venue with little expectation from the night.

    As the fabulous five made their way to the front of the hall, the crowd cheered ecstatically. I immediately spotted Faiza Saleem amongst the presenters. A lawyer by profession, Faiza has quickly become a female icon in Pakistan. She has previously worked with internet sensations like Mooroo and Syed Shafaat Ali, and has amassed an overwhelming fan following.

    The Auratnaak Show in Islamabad

    A full house at the London Book Company

    The show commenced with Annie Shamim’s comical jibes at female drivers. An architect, a witty conversationalist and a merciless comedienne, Annie had us in stitches with her mimicry of the female teachers at the Al-Huda Driving School for women.

    The Auratnaak Show in Islamabad

    Ayesha Tariq is a published author of 'Sarah - the Suppressed Anger of the Pakistani Obedient Daughter'

    Next up, Ayesha Tariq, an innocent-looking girl took up the floor to shout at the attentive crowd: “Islamabad! Do you want to pee?”, and everyone burst into laughter. A published author of the graphic novel, Sarah: the Suppressed Anger of the Pakistani Obedient Daughter, Ayesha soon had the crowd eating out of her hand and became my personal favorite within a matter of minutes. Amidst the humor, she addressed the issues of female stereotyping and the need for more unity among women, but managed to keep us laughing throughout.

    By the time the third comedienne took hold of the mic, the crowd was high on laughter. Sana Khan Niazi, a theatre actor, entrepreneur and founder of Paimona – a brand that creates hand-crafted furniture pieces – entertained the crowd by discussing her constant career jumps, before she finally settled on the field of comedy. She mocked Islamabadis for their accents and early sleeping habits, and also discussed an issue that all females her age can relate to: constant family pressure to get married!

    Up next, Faiza Saleem took the stage, to the delight of several cheering fans in the crowd. “I tried running from fat jokes”, she explained, “But I can’t run!” Faiza discussed how, from the media and brand advertisements to your very own friends and relatives, everyone in Pakistan will make life unbearable for you if you are fat. Engaging intimately with her audience, Faiza’s talent and experience in the field was clearly evident on the stage as she took the crowd by storm.

    The Auratnaak Show in Islamabad

    Faiza Saleem on fat shaming

    The last performer challenged the audience with her dark humor. Fatima Shah packed the feminist punch in her words and gave a short but outrageously funny account of what it’s like to be a woman in Pakistan. With topics ranging from child molestation to the ungraceful aging of women, Fatima had us wriggling uncomfortably on our floor cushions. She discussed the grand idea of love, only to end it with the image of a woman letting out a fart – a fittingly humorous conclusion to a show that remained bold and hilarious throughout its duration.

    The Auratnaak Show had previously entertained large venues in Karachi and Lahore, receiving great reviews. Given the ear-numbing cheers from this crowd of a mere hundred, it is clear that their tour of Islamabad has been a major success as well. My friend and I left the show with jaws hurting from laughter but heads full of challenging ideas brought forth by this group of truly avant-garde women.

     

    All images have been provided by Kuch Khaas.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021