The Awards Office of the LUX Style Awards announced the nominations for the fifteen Entertainment categories and 9 Fashion Categories of the LUX Style Awards in Karachi today. The TV, Music and Fashion Juries had met earlier on to debate and vote on their respective categories.
The Awards announced reflect the state of the three entertainment industries. Television was the most evolved and vibrant category; the music industry hardly had any of the big releases and cinema was virtually non existent. Fashion continued to grow and was by far the most vibrant jury session of all. In order to encourage the local industry the Film Jury named the one film that could be a contender, Syed Noor’s Nach Kay Yaar Manana where Shaan and Saima were the leading roles.
The TV Jury added the Best TV Writer category and Asghar Nadeem Syed, Fizza Jaffri, Kashif Nisar, Seema Ghazal and Zafar Mairaj were the first year nominees. Along with the Best TV Director the winner in these two categories would be decided by the Jury as these were technical awards that needed specialist scrutiny. Winners of the other six categories of Best TV Serial (Satellite and Terrestrial), Best TV Actor (Satellite and Terrestrial) and Best TV Actress (Satellite and Terrestrial) would be decided by a Viewer’s Choice Voting system where throughout July and August viewers across Pakistan would be invited to send in their votes via Digital, SMS and on ground voting.
Both PTV and ATV serials were neck to neck for Nomination slots in the Terrestrial channel categories. Geo Entertainment and Hum TV bagged all the five Best Serial slots amongst them while Best Actor/Actress slots were divided between the usual suspects Ayub Khosa (Khuda Zameen Say Gaya Nahin), Humayun Saeed (Doraha and Ishq Junoon Deewangee), Noman Ijaz (Kaghaz Kay Nao), Sajid Hasan (Rani) and Shabbir Jan (Andata); Angeline Malik (Rani), Resham (Aashti), Saba Qamar (Jinnah Kay Naam), Sania Saeed (The Ghost) and two nominations for Sara Chaudhry (Khuda Zameen Say Gaya Nahin and Teri Ik Nazar). New talent coming through in television was acknowledged by nominations for Juggun Kazim (Kaghaz Kay Nao), Mohib Mirza (Dil e Nadan) and Shahood Alvi (Jee Chahta Hai). Final winners for the TV categories will be decided by Viewer’s Choice votes.
The music categories were dominated by Meekal Hassan’s Saptak and Overload’s Pichal Pairee. Mariam Kizalbash, Rahim Shah and Shiraz Uppal were the other contenders. As in the fashion categories, a second tier of jury from within the music industry would be selected to vote for winners in the 4 music categories. The two-tiered voting pattern is an LSA staple and distinguishes this awards event from others.
The Fashion Jury met in Karachi last month and the interesting nominations there reflect the robustness of the industry that continues to throw up talent every year. As always the Best Emerging Talent category was the most contested with several new entrants debated on for the five slots.
Ultimately the jury looked for impact on industry in first year, ability to go the distance and the individual’s own signature style.
The Fashion Jury gave a nod to the fast evolving design culture by doing away with Couture/Bridals on the basis that there is hardly room for innovation each year. Instead the main focus was on ready to wear with the two design categories divided into Pret and Luxury Pret. The birth of Fashion Week has caused the design ethos to become that much stronger and the LSA decision to focus on great cut and good design is a reflection of that development. Luxury Pret included all design houses that offer their customers a higher more luxurious level of embellishment and accessories. Pret included design houses that specialise in hard core ready to wear. Interestingly there are some designers like Body Focus, Rizwan Beyg and Sana & Safinaz who effortlessly make the transition from Couture to Luxury Pret. Many others like Nomi Ansari and HSY make a triumphant LSA comeback; and there is a first time nomination for Shamaeel Ansari who showed at the first Fashion Pakistan week.
Khaadi makes it to two categories for Best Retail as well as Best Pret. Amir Adnan and FnK Asia make it in two different categories. Deepak Perwani, winner of four LSA’s for Menswear, gets his first womenswear prêt nomination. Kamiar Rokni, Khaadi Khaas, Sara Shahid of Sublime and Sonya Battla are regular LSA nominees and once again claim their slots.
Hair and Make up saw new entrants Altaf at Nabila and Rizwana Khan. Rizwana Khan submitted a portfolio and wowed the jury and all the others have done steady work throughout the year. Saba Ansari at Sabs was back among the nominees for her Fashion Week styling and Altaf at Nabila was a unanimous choice. Nighat at Depilex and Khawar Riaz complete the 2010 line up.
The toughest competition was in the Best Female Model category. Aamina Sheikh, Cybil Chowdhry, Fayeza Ansari, Rabia Butt and Mehreen Syed were the top five who won nominations this year. Aamina was a winner last year in the Best Emerging category, Cybil and Mehreen wowed during Fashion Pakistan Week and Fayeza and Rabia were considered to be both versatile and effortless.
The LUX Style Awards for excellence in Entertainment and Fashion are announced on the national and satellite TV networks every year.
