The premises of the larger-than-life Frere Hall in Karachi lay amongst a plethora of lights on 22nd March, with vibrant, celebratory shadows cast upon the structure itself. The magnanimous commemoration seemed to be fitting of the occasion at hand – the launch of ace actors Humayun Saeed and Adnan Siddiqui’s clothing brand, Cast & Crew.
The Location
A sea of black greeted one upon arrival, with only a handful of those visible who had chosen to stray from the all-black formal theme.
A counter where one could refresh themselves with a variety of drinks framed one corner of the mingling area, and a 360° camera brilliantly lit up yet another end of the large space. This particular asset made for some splendid visual treats, as one had the pleasure of watching attendees maneuver their way through the enthralling mechanism.
A brilliantly lit J. booth ornamented one side – that doubled as a photo booth later into the night – with a pristine black carpet placed on the other end for the arrival of stars.
And arrive they did.
The Attendees
Star-studded to the core, some of the industry’s biggest names showed up in support of Cast & Crew, and to commemorate the men behind the brand as well. Huge names, such as, Bilal Abbas Khan, Feroze Khan, Hania Aamir, Fahad Mustafa, Shoaib Malik, Aijaz Aslam, Ahsan Khan, Ushna Shah, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Feroze Khan, Iqra Aziz, Mohib Mirza, HSY, Nida Yasir, Yasir Nawaz, Amir Adnan, and numerous others were in attendance. The night sky remained perfectly juxtaposed with the trail of stars that graced the black carpet.
The Black Carpet
Described by Momin Ali Munshi as a “relaxed” evening, the black carpet, albeit immersed in a flurry of activity, was, indeed, a serene experience in terms of attendees communicating with each other. However, it did seem to border on being overwhelming for Humayun Saeed and Adnan Siddiqui, who not only had to oversee the entirety of the event, but also had to be ever-present for all the photo-ops.
A large chunk of the time was spent on the black carpet itself, as members of the press clicked pictures of the varying combinations of stars as they posed in front of the Cast & Crew banner. It was around 11 PM that the event within the larger seating area began, and even then, one could spot stars trickling in and out, being photographed from time to time.
Talking About Cast & Crew
With the great Anwar Maqsood speaking about the brand and the men behind it, spurts of humor were to be expected. While he wished Humayun Saeed and Adnan Siddiqui well, he joked about the “&” in their label’s name.
HSY took over as well to quiz the two superstars about clothing and the reason behind the inception of the label, and it was a testament to the camaraderie between these influential giants. Banter and philosophical musings ensued, and as a collective, the crowd welcomed “Cast & Crew” with open arms and deafening applause.
The Verdict
Celebrities with entrepreneurial minds and the creative grit to plunge into the world of business double as a welcome breath of fresh air. All elements related to Cast & Crew – from the branding, to the vision, to the line itself – have a unique, elegant, and grand feel to them, and there could not have been a better way to encapsulate the very spirit of the names behind the label. For this, and for all future prospects, one cannot help but wish Humayun Saeed and Adnan Siddiqui nothing but the absolute best.
