Bushra Ansari features in Behbud’s fundraising evening

Islamabad
To celebrate fifty years since its establishment and raise funds for its ongoing projects, Behbud Association, Rawalpindi-Islamabad, organised a fundraising evening featuring known personality, Bushra Ansari with the added attraction of the first runner-up of Pakistan Idol, Muhammad Shoaib. Bushra’s sister Sumbul was included later. The event was held at the Sir Syed Memorial Hall and attended by a ‘house full’ crowd of Behbud supporters and their friends.
Events such as this usually start very late, so those who arrived on time were pleasantly surprised that this one began just half an hour over the given time, which is a generally acceptable leeway. Of course, fashionably late comers are always strolling in late and disturbing everyone!
Anyway the programme began with committee member Tahira Piracha welcoming attendees; introducing the artistes and saying a few words about Behbud and the many projects that are helping the less privileged. She concluded by thanking Brigadier (r) Shafi for the use of the hall; Bushra Ansari for flying in especially from Karachi; the other sponsors for their support; a few individuals who had bought a large number of tickets; Behbud members and volunteers and all those who attended the event and made it a success. The screening of a video followed to give visual substance to the information on Behbud which is a non-profit, NGO run by volunteers for almost 50 years. Its programmes empower women, children and their communities by providing healthcare, education and income generation opportunities.
Bushra began her monologue by saying her a few words about her father, leading up to how she and her siblings had been brought up in a house filled with music, exposure to which taught them a lot. “We are not trained but we can all recognise music and that is how I was a judge on Pakistan Idol,” she explained. She went on to regret that there was no support/outlet/platform for the hundreds of talented young people in Pakistan and why she had included Shoaib in the programme. Her sister then joined her on stage and they did a couple of humourous skits before Bushra began to sing a medley of familiar songs easing in from one to the next. She took a break from the medley to sing ‘Mujh say pehli si mohabat mery mahboob na maang,’ and then went on to sing more songs in medley.
Bushra was followed by her sister who sang a shorter but lively medley of known songs. Bushra then read out two humourous poems by her older sister Najma — and frankly they were the highlight of the evening because the expected humour from Bushra’s act was missing. Attendees had come expecting an evening of fun and laughter for which she is better known than her vocalising and many of her fans were disappointed, though they did enjoy the evening. Also the announced ‘paid for’ photo shoot, with those who wanted it, did not take place as the artiste went away earlier than expected.
Next came Shoaib, who has the talent and stage presence and he put in an exuberant performance but he needs to learn that that to be a success he has to cater to each audience differently. Not all audiences are made up of fans of what is known as the ‘pop’ style of music, though a little is appreciated by everybody! Also, he ended his performance rather suddenly by announcing a ‘last song’ and leaving the stage rather abruptly.
Kudos to the Behbud volunteers for managing to fill the hall with attendees - it’s not an easy job to sell so many tickets these days — something which has to be done to raise funds for projects like health; education and women’s empowerment, which are on the low list of priorities as far as the government is concerned.