EARLIER this year, Javed Iqbal: The Untold Storyof a Serial Killer was banned in Pakistan shortly before its highly anticipated release, despite being passed by censors.
The hard-hitting drama is based on the investigation of real-life 1990s serial killer Javed Iqbal, who sexually abused and murdered 100 children in Lahore, while sending evidence of his heinous crimes to authorities and media. The filmmaker is fighting to get the movie – which stars Yasir Hussain as the notorious killer and Ayesha Omar as the police officer hot on his trail – released, despite receiving wide support from celebrities.
Eastern Eye caught up with senior journalist turned writer-director Abu Aleeha to talk about his controversial film, its ban and what drives him creatively.
What would you say first connected you to filmmaking?
I was based in Islamabad as an investigative journalist and from there went into content writing. I started travelling to Karachi and would present ideas to TV channels and production houses. I was encouraged and discouraged by some, but slowly, I started getting work. After two years of content writing for production houses, my credits never appeared anywhere, but it gave me the opportunity
to learn.
Yasir Hussain as Javed Iqbal
When did you first encounter the story of serial killer Javed Iqbal?
In 1999, when I was working as a crime reporter in Islamabad, I came to know of this incident in Lahore. Thanks to my relationship with journalists in the city and the press club there, I started following the case closely. I started studying the characteristics of Javed Iqbal from when he was arrested and the trial, up until his murder in prison. There were lots of questions and conspiracy theories that I tried to get to the bottom of, to find out what really happened. I learnt something new every time I dug into the story.
What made you decide to make a film about this man?
I felt this story needed to be told and wanted to address all the conspiracy theories. We talk about Ted Bundy and other serial killers who murdered a relatively small number of people, but you always find a documentary or a movie on them. In Pakistan, we had a prolific killer who murdered 100 children and confessed, yet there wasn’t a single story or film based on him. So, I decided that this story should be brought to the people.
Ayesha Omar
Tell us about the film?
The film revolves around Pakistan’s worst-known serial killer Javed Iqbal, who confessed to murdering more than 100 children in Lahore in 1999. He was infamous for delivering the details of his crimes to the authorities, along with evidence, including clothes and photographs of victims. In October 2000, Javed was found dead in his prison cell.
How did you feel when the film was banned before its release?
The whole idea of the film was not to glorify the serial killer or make a hero out of him. We haven’t made ‘the legend of Javed Iqbal’. We wanted to show the story of a child molester, someone who people should hate, but at the same time, audiences should also learn about and identify the potential threat of child molesters and rapists, who could be a danger to children, and which could help parents identify them. This was the idea of making this film.
Why do you think it has been banned?
The Pakistan censor board had passed the film, so it’s hard to comment on this. If the censor board hadn’t passed the film or understood the story, then I could understand, but I don’t know or understand what exactly has happened. To halt a film based upon a complaint made by someone about the film doesn’t make sense. It never played in cinemas, then where did the blame come from?
So, this is one big joke, in the name of the system and censor board. But now we have taken this matter to the high court. A third party trying to get it banned is beyond our understanding and totally shocking.
A scene from the film
What do you intend to do with it now?
My work is as a writer and director is to make a film. The producer is exploring several options. We all want to bring the film to cinemas nationwide through whichever legal means. We are also exploring other options, such as a [streaming] platform, where maximum audiences would be able to watch this.
Did you learn anything new while making this movie?
Javed Iqbal is my seventh movie. I may perhaps be the first independent filmmaker in Pakistan who has seven different genre films. I never repeat genres nor the same actors in any of my films. I am happy and ready to work with anyone. I am ready to tackle different kinds of genres. There has never been a film made to date in Pakistan about the serial killer Javed Iqbal, so I learnt a lot from this film.
What can we expect next from you?
I am currently shooting my eighth film. It is a gangster crime thriller. For the first time I managed to get a decent budget, big star cast, big DOP and art direction. I am taking a risk at the same time, as I don’t want to venture into the commercial side of cinema. My films will always stay offbeat, where I want to add my unique signature to them.
Finally, what inspires you creatively?
I never went to film school. There isn’t even a proper academy in Pakistan that could teach you filmmaking. I have grown after each film I’ve made as a writer and director. I just want to continue improving after each film and rectifying any mistakes in my next project. With each film my craft is improving and keeps driving me creatively.
Artist Shafina Jaffer presents a new chapter of her Global Conference of the Birds series.
The exhibition runs from 7–12 October 2025 at Mall Galleries, London.
Works are painted on bark cloth from Lake Victoria, combining spiritual themes with ecological concerns.
Exhibition details
Artist Shafina Jaffer will open her latest exhibition, Whispers Under Wings (Global Conference of the Birds), at the Mall Galleries in London on 7 October 2025. The show will run until 12 October 2025.
This practice-led series reinterprets Farid ud-Din Attar’s 12th-century Sufi allegory, Conference of the Birds, reflecting on themes of unity, self-realisation and the idea that the Divine resides within.
Material and meaning
Each work is painted on sustainably sourced bark cloth from the Lake Victoria region, using natural pigments, minerals and dyes. Large panels are formed from the bark of single trees, aligning material ecology with the spiritual narrative.
The series weaves together sacred geometry, Qur’anic verses and depictions of endangered bird species, underscoring the connection between ecological fragility and spiritual awakening.
Previous recognition
Whispers Under Wings follows earlier presentations in London and Dubai, extending the project’s message of peace, unity and environmental care.
A central work from the series — the Simurgh, conceived as a symbol of light (Noor) — was recently acquired by Prince Amyn Aga Khan for the new Ismaili Centre in Houston. A feature on the exhibition also appears in the September edition of Twiga, Air Tanzania’s inflight magazine.
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Each character in the set has been carefully designed to reflect cultural narratives
British-Bangladeshi prop maker Anika Chowdhury has designed a handcrafted glow-in-the-dark chess set celebrating heritage and identity.
The limited-edition set, called Glowborne, launches on Kickstarter in October.
Each piece draws from South Asian, Middle Eastern, and African cultural references, re-rooting chess in its origins.
The project blends art, storytelling, and representation, aiming to spark conversations about identity in play.
Reimagining chess through heritage
When Anika Chowdhury sat down to sculpt her first chess piece, she had a bigger vision than simply redesigning a classic game. A British-Bangladeshi prop maker working in the film industry, she grew up loving fantasy and games but rarely saw faces like hers in Western storytelling.
“Chess originated in India, travelled through Arabia and North Africa, and was later Westernised,” she explains. “I wanted to bring those forgotten origins back to the board.”
The result is Glowborne — a limited-edition, glow-in-the-dark fantasy chess set that blends craft, identity and cultural pride.
Anika Chowdhury says she has many ideas to further fuse craft and culture in future projects Glowborne
Crafting Glowborne
Each character in the set has been carefully designed to reflect cultural narratives: Bengali kings and pawns, Indian bishops with bindis, Arab knights, and African queens. Chowdhury sculpted each piece by hand, drawing on her prop-making training at the National Film and Television School.
Once sculpted, the pieces were cast in resin, painted, and finished with South Asian-inspired motifs filled with glow-in-the-dark pigment. “The characters glow both literally and metaphorically,” she says, “as a chance for them to take the stage.”
Cultural pride and visibility
For Chowdhury, the project is about more than gameplay. “Fantasy doesn’t need to fit into the Western mould to tell a great story,” she says. “South Asian, Middle Eastern and African stories are just as powerful, and they can transform something as traditional as chess by reconnecting it with its roots.”
She hopes Glowborne will resonate with South Asian and Eastern African communities as a celebration of identity and belonging. At the same time, she sees it as a bridge for wider audiences — chess enthusiasts, collectors, and design lovers who appreciate craftsmanship and storytelling.
A personal journey
Chowdhury’s career in film and prop-making has influenced her creative process, but Glowborne marks her first independent project. She created it outside her film work, after hours and on weekends.
“At 28, I finally feel like I’ve found my voice,” she reflects. “For a long time I felt pressure to hide my identity, but now I see my culture as a superpower. This project is about using art to express that.”
Looking ahead
Launching this October on Kickstarter as a collector’s edition, Glowborne is only the beginning. Chowdhury says she has many ideas to further fuse craft and culture in future projects. “This is the proof of concept,” she says. “I can’t wait to create more stories that blend heritage, art and play.”
Banksy’s ‘Piranhas’ artwork, painted on a police sentry box, is being stored ahead of display at London Museum.
The piece was originally one of nine works that appeared across London in August 2024.
It will form part of the museum’s new Smithfield site, opening in 2026.
The City of London Corporation donated the artwork as part of its £222m museum relocation project.
Banksy’s police box artwork in storage
A Banksy artwork known as Piranhas has been placed in storage ahead of its future display at the London Museum’s new Smithfield site, scheduled to open in 2026. The piece features spray-painted piranha fish covering the windows of a police sentry box, giving the illusion of an aquarium.
From Ludgate Hill to Guildhall Yard
The police box, which had stood at Ludgate Hill since the 1990s, was swiftly removed by the City of London Corporation after Banksy confirmed authorship. It was initially displayed at Guildhall Yard, where visitors could view it from behind safety barriers. The Corporation has since voted to donate the piece to the London Museum.
Museum’s first contemporary street art
London Museum’s Head of Curatorial, Glyn Davies, said:
“With the arrival of Banksy’s Piranhas, our collection now spans from Roman graffiti to our first piece of contemporary street art. This work by one of the world’s most iconic artists now belongs to Londoners, and will keep making waves when it goes on show next year in the Museum’s new Smithfield home.”
Formerly known as the Museum of London, the institution closed its London Wall site in December 2022 as part of its relocation. It rebranded as the London Museum in July 2024, with £222m allocated by the City of London Corporation to support the move. The project is expected to attract two million visitors annually and create more than 1,500 jobs.
Part of Banksy’s animal-themed series
Piranhas was one of nine animal-themed works Banksy created across London in August 2024. The series also featured a rhino on a car, two elephants with interlocked trunks, monkeys swinging from a bridge, a howling wolf on a satellite dish, and a goat painted on a wall. Some of the artworks were later vandalised, removed, or covered up.
Preserving street art for the public
Chris Hayward, policy chairman of the City of London Corporation, said:
“Banksy stopped Londoners in their tracks when this piece appeared in the Square Mile – and now, we’re making it available to millions. By securing it for London Museum, we’re not only protecting a unique slice of the City’s story, but also adding an artwork that will become one of the museum’s star attractions.”
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Aditya Chopra (right) with his father, Yash Chopra
BOLLYWOOD filmmaker Aditya Chopra was last Thursday (21) named among the nominees of the UK Stage Debut Awards for his Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical, performed at Manchester’s Opera House earlier this year.
Chopra delivered a blockbuster in 1995 with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, popular as DDLJ, with Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan in the lead roles. It was adapted to a theatrical production and had its UK premiere in May.
Chopra reprised his role as director of the English stage production, which revolves around the love story of Simran and Roger.
Shah Rukh Khan visits the cast of Come Fall in Love The DDLJ Musical during rehearsals in London Danny Kaan
“This year’s nominees embody the future of British theatre, and I can’t wait to celebrate their achievements,” said Alistair Smith, editor of The Stage theatrical publication.
“This year there are several individuals with south Asian heritage being recognised for their excellence in directing: among the nominees is Amit Sharma for Ryan Calais Cameron’s Retrograde (in the Best Creative West End Debut category),” said the awards panel in a statement.
Also nominated are Adam Karim for Guards at the Taj at the Orange Tree Theatre, London, and visionary Indian filmmaker Aditya Chopra for Come Fall In Love at Manchester’s Opera House, who are both in the running for the best director category, the statement added.
The winners will be announced on September 28.
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The group have introduced fresh orchestral elements and added instruments to expand their live sound
The Shahbaz Fayyaz Qawwal Group return to the UK with a nationwide tour after viral success online.
The ensemble of brothers blend centuries-old qawwali traditions with fresh improvisations that connect with young audiences.
From Pakistan to the USA and UK, their performances have won acclaim for their electrifying energy and spiritual depth.
Fans can expect new instruments, reimagined classics, and the same message of love and harmony at this year’s shows.
From viral sensation to global stages
When a performance goes viral, it can change an artist’s career overnight. For the Shahbaz Fayyaz Qawwal Group, their stirring renditions of Bhar Do Jholi and B Kafara propelled them from local fame in Pakistan to global recognition, amassing millions of views across platforms. What set them apart was not just the power of their voices, but the way their music resonated with younger listeners who were hearing qawwali with fresh ears.
That viral momentum soon carried them beyond borders, leading to major performances in the United States and the UK. “It wasn’t just one track,” the group explained. “We revived older gems like Kali Kali Zulfon and Dil Pukare Aaja in our own style, and those went viral again, showing that qawwali still speaks across generations.”
Heritage, family and style
The Shahbaz Fayyaz Qawwal Group’s uniqueness lies in their roots. Composed of seven brothers and joined by fellow musicians from respected musical families, the ensemble was trained by their late father, himself a master of the art form. On stage, as many as 15 to 20 performers create a sound that is both deeply traditional and daringly modern.
Their shows are alive with improvisation. In the middle of a devotional track, harmonium player Shahbaz might suddenly weave in a melody from a contemporary Bollywood hit, while lead vocalist Fayyaz channels his energy into unrestrained movements and audience interaction. “When different styles meet, something new emerges,” they said. “That’s what keeps the music vibrant.”
UK audiences and the international journey
Having performed across the USA, the Middle East and Europe, the group describe UK audiences as particularly electric. “Each time we perform here, the atmosphere is charged. People don’t just listen – they become part of the performance,” they said.
Their repertoire often draws requests from fans who expect to hear viral favourites alongside traditional classics. “Sometimes, if organisers don’t allow us to perform songs like B Kafara or Dil Pukare Aaja, the audience won’t let the show continue. That’s the level of passion here,” they recalled with a laugh.
Keeping qawwali alive for new generations
While the roots of qawwali stretch back centuries, the group see their role as carrying the tradition into the present. By fusing tabla, harmonium and handclaps with newer instruments and arrangements, they appeal to younger listeners without losing the music’s essence.
“We want every audience to feel peace, harmony and love when they leave our concerts,” they said. “An artist should never belong to just one group of people – music is for everyone.”
What fans can expect this tour
This year’s UK tour promises new surprises. The group have introduced fresh orchestral elements and added instruments to expand their live sound. Fans can expect a mix of beloved classics, spontaneous improvisations, and the chance to hear qawwali reimagined for today’s world.
For Shahbaz Fayyaz Qawwal Group, the mission remains unchanged: to honour their heritage, embrace new audiences, and spread the universal message at the heart of their art. As they put it: “We look forward to growing together with our fans. Let’s celebrate qawwali as a tradition that belongs to everyone.”