Samina: Today's Rewind with Samina guest is Momina Mustehsan
Samina: you all know what a big singing star she is
Samina: I won't say anything about her
Samina: I'll only be asking questions
Samina: and will find answers to all those questions
Samina: Momina Thank you so much for coming
Momina: Thank you so much for inviting me
Momina: It's my honor!
Samina: mine too!
Samina: you've sung a song that I love
Samina: 'Tera Who Pyar' Momina: aww
Momina: I'm so glad you said that Samina: I like it a lot
Samina: a lot!
Momina: I almost thought you would say ' Afreen'
Samina: nope Momina: but 'Tera Who Pyar' is so much closer to me
Momina: because that was a time when I actually sang
Momina: from my heart
Momina: and I think you can tell that as well Samina: Afreen was then…
Momina: "Afreen" was "Afreen"
Samina: it was the winner, right? Samina: where were you born? Momina: I was born in Quetta
Momina: It's really random!
Momina: my family has nothing to do with Quetta
Momina: My brother was born in Germany Samina: Both?
Momina: the elder brother. My younger brother was born in Multan
Momina: so, my father was in the army
Samina: so he would have travelled then Momina: yes!
Samina: they have postings Momina: yes. So, when I tell somebody
Momina: I was born in Quetta Samina: and where are you guys from?
Momina: that's a good question
Momina: umm…I don't know
Momina: my father's side of the family is from Delhi
Momina: and then umm… they migrated to Pakistan. They were in Pindi
Samina: so then you are from Pindi right? Momina: not really because
Momina: Mustehsan Farms are close to Multan so they all moved to Multan
Momina: as well as at some point
Momina: but then my father was in boarding school and he was moving around
Momina: and all of my family is
Momina: in different parts of the world
Samina: so, when your father was moving around, where did he meet your mother?
Momina: it was an arranged marriage, actually Samina: Really?
Momina: yeah, but they act, even now, they act like they met two days ago
Momina: and they just fell in love Samina: Wow!
Momina: they are always on the phone, texting each other
Momina: my mom's name is saved as 'Babe' on my dad's phone
Momina: which is pretty embarrassing, sometimes
Momina: because then their phone says 'Babe'
Momina: and everyone gets awkward like
Momina: who is this "BABE" calling you?
Samina: so he is an army man and she?
Momina: she is a doctor. She got married when she was in medical school
Momina: and then she moved to Germany
Momina: with my father
Samina: So, how did music come to Momina?
Momina: I don't know where music came from
Samina: do your brothers have this passion too? Momina: Both my brothers sing very well. Momina: they play the guitar as well
Samina: does your mother sing?
Momina: mom, dad both. They all have a very good voice
Momina: my older brother is a doctor
Momina: my younger brother is..
Momina: he just graduated
Momina: he finished his Bachelor's in political science
Samina: where do you go to school? Momina: in New York and Pakistan
Samina: where in Pakistan?
Momina: at many place. In Lahore,
Momina: Islamabad
Momina: and 8 months in Karachi
Samina: and what would you do in school?
Momina: in school I was a very confused girl because
Momina: in Pakistan it's British Education System
Momina: and in New York, obviously is American System
Momina: over there they would teach me
Momina: C-O-L-O-R are the spellings of color
Momina: and here it was Samina: C-O-L-O-U-R
Momina Nope!
Momina Wrong Momina: It's C-O-L-O-U-R. you're missing a "u"
Momina: so then I would learn that there is a U, because I would forget so
Momina: then I'd go back and
Momina: in a spelling test I would say I know this
Momina: it's C-O-L-O-U-R and it's wrong again
Momina: and I am like, so what is right? Everything is wrong
Samina: ok, so what usually happens when there are two brothers and one sister
Samina: then the girl are more, you know
Samina: inclined towards the "boy games" you know
Samina: and those types of things Momina: yes Samina: they'll play cricket
Samina: climb trees, do cycling
Samina: will have a lot of fun
Momina: but then you have to think what are boy games? Right?
Samina: so what are you?
Momina: I am a girl who loves all sports and
Momina: I used to challenge myself
Momina: just the way my brothers used to challenge themselves
Momina: because my parents never raised me as
Momina: she's a girl or he's a boy
Momina: it was always; these are our kids and that our kids should be exposed to all sports
Momina: they should do every activity. What my brothers would do
Momina: I would do too. Cricket
Momina: Horse riding, show-jumping, Polo
Momina: Tennis, Swimming
though I never learnt it
Momina: I was always an old dog who couldn't be taught new tricks
Momina: so swimming I could never learn um Hiking
Momina: and all of these things,
Momina: but yeah I used to play with all the guys on the street with my brothers
Momina: because not many girls used to come out
Samina: So, your brothers ever played 'girls' games'?
Samina: because it really fascinates me. 0:05:08.135,0:05:11.555 Samina: I met somebody and their daughter
Samina: likes all the boyish games
Samina: and their son plays with the doll
Momina: really? Samina: I thought that was so amazing
Samina: and why not? Momina: exactly!
Samina: you know this segregation, and I agree with you
Samina: and admire your parents
Samina: that they didn't make these separate compartments
Samina: and boxes for their kids. Momina: we used to play together
Momina: if I also had barbie
Momina: then I would also have had a Lego
Momina: and I also used to have small miniatures of army
Momina: my brothers and I used to play together
Momina: so there would be a tank next to a barbie
Momina: because the sports
Momina: games and activities were never defined as
Momina: gender specific sports
Momina: as girls' or boys' games
Samina: what is the benefit of doing this?
Momina: I guess it makes you more open
Momina: to not putting things into certain
Momina: boxes
Momina: like it is for girls or boys
Momina: my favourite colour while growing up was blue
Momina: and yellow
Momina: which probably are not very feminine
Momina: according to the stereotypes
Samina: yeah! Momina: but umm I like them
Samina: no, it is good thing 0:06:26.225,0:06:28.115 Samina: it is not necessary to like pink if you are a girl
Momina: yeah and there
Momina: was a time when my brothers and I used to
Momina: share a bedroom
Momina: so it had all the colours and stuff
Momina: I am really glad that
Momina: in my childhood
Momina: education, activity were not defined by gender
Momina: so I never thought that way
Samina: actually what happens is
Samina: you do not make distinctions
Samina: nor you draw lines
Samina: so then the whole universe is yours
Samina: explore and find out who you are
Momina: yeah! And you can develop skills
Momina: you might not have been able to develop
Momina: not because of your gender
Momina: but because of the roles that society
Momina: define with the genders
Momina: my older brother was the one who first started
Momina: cooking in the household
Momina: in school he learnt how to make chicken soup
Samina: do you know my husband cooks? Momina: Really? Samina: and when he used to cook initially
Samina: people used to say
Samina: why does Usman make the breakfast? I said why not?
Samina: and even the talk show we were doing on PTV
Samina: he would make tea and coffee for everyone and bring it and everybody used to say
Samina: oeople used to write us letters
Samina: that why are you allowing it?
Samina: I said why should I take that away? It gives him pleasure
Samina: we need to break these societal stereotypes
Momina: we impose so many restrictions on us
Momina: by defining our roles in such a way
Momina: it's sad
Momina: but then I think
Momina: we are evolving
Momina: time has been changed
Momina: you have so many men
Momina: we have both men and women 0:08:12.705,0:08:15.695 Momina: among the most famous chefs
Momina: I think in every sector
Momina: we men and women
Momina: standing shoulder to shoulder
Momina: and it's getting even more common
Momina: because people are breaking stereotypes
Momina: and t's very refreshing to see
Samina: it's good. Momina: even in sports Samina: Yes and I think it makes you more secure
Samina: a society where men and women are equal
Samina: and in every kind of field, it's refreshing
Samina: and secure, very secure
Samina: because if you are not pulling someone backwards
Samina: so you are not even denying them
Momina: I think it opens new avenues for bigger and better things because
Momina: wherever there is collaboration
Momina: it always ends up into something bigger
Momina: and better
Momina: so where men and women through collaboration
Momina: take forward any field and profession
Momina: both sides will give their input
Samina: exactly!
Samina: when both the parents together brought up the children
Samina: they turn out to be very brilliant
Samina: like you Momina: Thank you!
Momina: im my household if I convince dad for anything
Momina: that "please give me permission"
Momina: and he'd said 'yes' and then I go to my mother
Momina: and she'd say 'no'
Momina: then that was a 'NO', obviously
Momina: and if mom says 'yes' and dad says 'no' that's also a no
Momina: so it was more work
Momina: by emotionally blackmailing both of them
Samina: so what did you study in college? Momina: I am a biomedical engineer and an applied mathematician
Momina: I have a double-major
Samina: so how did you come to this direction?
Samina: you should have been a doctor? Momina: mom says the same!
Samina: Naturally or to have been in army Momina: because mom is a doctor and my older brother is a doctor
Momina: I tell my mom that if there were no biomedical engineers then doctors
Momina: Can't do their work
Momina: and if we don't make the machinery
Momina: so the tests that you write and give to patients, where will they do it from?
Samina: and when did you get all of this wisdom?
Momina: I think everyone has common sense but you have to tap into it
Momina: and if biomedical engineers don't make medicine
Momina: so what you prescribe…
Momina: what will you prescribe?
Samina: so what would young Momina used to think?
Momina: always since my childhood I used to see my mother Samina: yes, what would she think?
Samina: What dreams did she have?
Momina: I would watch my mom since childhood
Momina: she is a doctor
Momina: she has always been….umm
Momina: her profession was more to help people
Momina: with compassion
Momina: she always used to work for free
Momina: in places, set up camps for women and children
Momina: because mom is gifted
Momina: in a way that she can speak multiple languages
Momina: she is a Farsiwan
Momina: so she is a Persian speaking but she also knows Pashto
Momina: because her grandmother was
Momina: an M.N.A in Peshawar so she would
Momina: spend a lot of time, every summer probably
Momina: in Peshawar so she picked up Pashto as well so she knew
Momina: as well so she knew the Pashto
Momina: I think the Afghani dialect and
Momina: the other dialect. There's two dialects apparently
Momina: so then when she would set up camps
Momina: in areas in Islamabad or in areas of Quetta
Momina: she was better able to communicate with refugees
Momina: especially because their language
Momina: barrier was quite big
Momina: and I used to accompany her and see
Momina: that how people are praying with their hearts wide open
Momina: that you can understand their pain
Momina: and you are trying to help them, whether it is just a paracetamol medication
Momina: that you are prescribing. It's their pain that they can't tell anybody about
Momina: and they are telling it there
Momina: and they are getting better so women would come back
Momina: because they didn't have money
Momina: so they would either bring a jar of honey or something home-cooked
Momina: as a way to thank the doctor
Momina: for helping them
Momina: so that really inspired me
Momina: to see that helping mankind
Momina: is the biggest service you can do and it's more rewarding Samina: and how old were you then?
Momina: I was very little; I was very young so as a kid I would go with her
Samina: so how did you become such a sensitive soul? Momina: since always. Because that's the values
Momina: my parents instilled
Momina: in all of us. Compassion and respect for humanity
Momina: no matter the financial background they belong to
Momina: or whatever professional background
Momina: you have to respect others
Momina: to earn respect for yourself
Momina: because whatever status you have today
Momina: it might not be the same tomorrow 0:13:06.465,0:13:09.295 Momina: maybe your financial position
Momina: may also change
Momina: or it might get better
Samina: or everything might get vanish Momina: exactly my point!
Momina: it might finish completely or you might get double than you have
Momina: but you must not forget that
Momina: what you actually are and what defines you?
Momina: it is 'humanity'
Momina: until you don't become a good human being
Momina: you cannot succeed in life
Samina: what would be discussed on the dining table?
Momina: umm
Momina: on the dinning table, I eat a lot, first
Momina: and the biggest problem would be
Momina: "talk after you're done eating." because
Momina: I would be eating and talking, because I love talking
Momina: so half the time he would say, "Please be quiet" Samina: and what type of discussion would you have?
Momina: about work, about the day
Momina: my house always had a rule
Momina: my father used to be very busy
Momina: my mother would be busy all of us would be busy as well
Momina: but we would all eat dinner together. While eating dinner
Momina: my father would ask, "What happened during the day?"
Momina: "what happened in the school?"
Momina: "What did you learn today?" my mother would ask the same
Momina: and baba would share what happened in his day
Momina: and mom too and then they'd always ask, "what did you learn today?"
Momina: "what was the conclusion of today?"
Momina: because this is how you live your life, right?
Momina: one day finishes and then it's just gonna be yesterday,
Momina: so what did you learn that day?
Momina: because every day should be
Momina: should be something that adds to you
Momina: and every day you grow and you grow
Momina: so that day what growth did you have? it could be anything
Momina: So that would be a dinner-time conversation
Momina: and about how you could
Momina: give back to society
Momina: and make a difference
Momina: because everybody lives and everyone dies
Momina: That's part of life.
Momina: You know you can't deny the fact that
Momina: You, I and everyone are going to pass away.
Momina: and move onto whatever is next for us, the after life
Momina: but what have we done in this life?
Momina: so we need to be in touch with it daily
Momina: people usually forget and they get into this rat
Momina: and this rat race..
Momina: it's okay that we all want to achieve
Momina: professionally, financially. That's not wrong
Momina: that's also right and good
Momina: because if you don't make yourself financially strong
Momina: in this life then you can't
Momina: give your next generation a good start
Momina: so that's not wrong either
Samina: so on the dinning table while discussing, eating
Samna: and singing
Samina How did you find out that you could take this forward?
Momina: Singing? Samina: Singing professionally too.
Samina: Are you a professional singer, yet? Or not?
Momina: I only sang at Coke Studio last year
Momia: and then Coke Studio this year.
Momina: and I also did Samina: who discovered you?
Momina: so, I actually umm
Momina: wrote and composed a song when I was in college with a friend of mine over Skype
Momina: who was a producer and then another friend
Momina: came on board who was also a musician and somehow
Momina: the song got released
Momina: I was not in the video.
Momina: because I never wanted to be in the limelight
Momina: For me, my education was the priority
Momian: because umm
Momina: That's very important Samina: But that's a tough field you chose
Momina: oh, very tough field.
Momina: That's why When…when people,
Momina: call me a singer
Momina: It pinches me a little bit Samina: Why?
Momina: Because I've put in so many years,
Momina: in college, for some sort of recognition.
Momina: to be recognized as an engineer
Momina: and a mathematician. Primarily an engineer.
Momina: Umm Music was something, I guess,
Momina: I love music. But then
Momina: the hard work I did for a particular field
Momina: Day and night. I wouldn't have time to sleep
Momina: Having two majors in college is not easy.
Momina: It's very hard
Samina: But that's something nobody can take away from you.
Momina: Also, I got recognized by my college
Momina: The State University of New York
Momina: As 40 under 40. 40 most, uh
Momina: Successful graduates who are under 40
Momina: For the SUNY system
Samina Wow! Momina: yeah!
Samina: it was the beginning. A lot must have happened afterwards
Momina: no, it happened recently. I've just got awarded this honour Samina: this year? Momina: Yes!
Momina: they are actually announcing it
Momina: in a day or two
Momina: the ceremony is in January
Momina: so I'm very proud, very happy
Momina: to be recognized
Momina: by your institution where you have
Momina: studied really hard
Momina: because there was a time when I thought
Momina: that must got tired of me
Momina: because my major
Momina: was also very hard
Momina: because in that major 10 to15 people
Momina: are chosen among thousands
Momina: Because it's a very tough field. Tough and competitive.
Momina: and how I got into the major
Momina: and all the hard work I did, only I know that.
Momina: however many sleepless nights, but I enjoyed it.
Momina: my parents used to say, "Why are you doing this to yourself?"
Momina: you could do Samina: So will you do a PhD?
Momina: Maybe Momina: I would love to
Samina: singing profession
Momina: yeah! Samina: is also very tough
Momina: very tough!
Samina: in learning
SAmina: and getting training from teachers
Momina: Yes and people think…when Afreen happened
Momina: I got success overnight
Momina: and I became a household name
Momina: I did not get success overnight. They do not know my story
Momina: I have been making music since since
Momina: I was in 5th grade. I have been writing
Momina: my own music and playing the guitar
Momina: so rewind again
Samina: so you taught yourself?
Momina: yes!
Samina: which other instruments do you play?
Momina: that's what I'm gonna tell you
Momina: my parents always said there is no limit
Momina: you should keep learning and growing
Momina: my mother is a prediatition and there is a research that says
Momina: children who know how to play an instrument
Momina: do better in school
Momina: because in music and
Momina: like you said being an engineer and a mathematician
Momina: why music? Because in music there is a lot of
Momina: science and maths
Momina: this connection
Momina: there are some notes that go two fracts up
MominaL and then there are notes that go two and a half frats
Momina: that you have to think over the run time that
Momina: I wanna go higher
Momina: and you have to calculate it in your mind
Momina: that I just two now I'm gonna go
Momina: two and a half
Momina: it's not like you keep on thinking so that's where maths comes in
Momina: my mother being a prediatition had done
Momina: extensive research
Momina: like I told you before
Momina: research says children who know how to play an instrument tend to do better in school
Momina: because their neuron development
Momina: occurs that way. It's all in the brain
Momina: so they introduced me to the guitar
Momina: and the piano
Momina: in elementary schools in America you have to choose an instrument
Momina: while you are growing up so it was the violin
Momina: and I used to learn how to play violin
Momina: that's the only instrument that I learned
Momina: but then I stopped playing it because I like singing
Momina: and you can't play a violin and sing
Momina: like this I got introduced to the music
Momina: my parents and I would do road trips
Momina: and then we would together sing, all five of us
Momina: that's how I got introduced to the music
Momina: then when I was in college
Momina: sorry when I was in school
Momina: I was in Pakistan for high school
Momina: and went to L.G.S in Lahore
Momina: I used to play the guitar
Momina: and used to have a girl band
Momina: it was all girls, a drummer
Momina: was in 8th grade at that time her name was Khadija Nasir
Momina: she was really good and
Momina: another girl Zara used to play guitar
Momina: and we used to do gigs in our school
Momina: we used to think we were so cool
Momina: would wear shalwar kameez
Momina: go on stage and paly
Momina: criss cornell and different musicians
Momina: then I started college
Momina: and there
Momina: I worte and composed a song
Momina: that somehow ended up getting released
Momina: that song became really big
Momina: it got nominated at the Lux Style Awards
Momina: for song of the year
Momina: and I was really surprised
Momina: after that in free time during classes
Momina: because music is a creative expression
Momina: um when you
Momina: want to express yourself
Momina: Sometimes words aren't enough
Momina: you need to play something or sing something
Samina: or paint or draw
Momina: exactly Samina: or write
Momina: so that's your expression
Momina: that's how would I express myself
Momina: on internet I would play something
Momina: only the audio
Momina: there was this song that I
Momina: covered , "mere bina" from some indian movie
Momina: I really liked that song
Momina: so I came up with my own version of it with a friend
Momina: recorded it on the computer
Momina: and I uploaded it
Momina: somehow it reached bigger audiences,
Momina: producers and directors
Momina: of the movie it was from
Momina: I think the universe has its way
Momina: if you are destined to do something
Momina: it somehow finds you
Momina: or you end up doing that
Momina: so I got offer to sing for
Momina: Bollywood movie initially I didn't sing for it
Momina: I never wanted to sing professionally
Momina: but then it just so happened
Momina: that I did end up singing for this movie
Momina: 'ek villain' I recorded it in New York
Momina: I never met with anyone involved in the process
Momina: I even find the contract after the thing was realised
Momina: and also
Momina: that became big I don't know how and why
Momina: but it did
Momina: I was in my finals week and I was very busy
Momina: with my exams. I had dark circles
Momina: because I didn't have time to even sleep
Momina: and eat because it was all like run run and run
Momina: class, class and class
Momina: project and in engineering there is a lot on hands on work
Momina: in workshops, through programming, complete the project
Momina: in the break between all that
Momina: I recorded that song
Momina: and I was so frustrated when I recorded it
Momina: I am a perfectionist. Until I am not satisfied
Momina: with it
Momina: I do not get the feeling of achievement
Momina: I wanted to work on it more
Momina: but they were running short on time
Momina: so I sent whatever I had recorded
Momina: I said I am not satisfied with it
Momina: I don't have time for this week
Momina: next week if I have time i'll re-do it
Momina: if you can use this that's fine
Momina: and they liked it and used it and it was great
Samina: what was the song? Momina: Avari
Samina: I will listen.
Momina: a lot of people do not know about it
Momina: because on the contract I had the issue
Momina: that I don't want my picture, name or
Momina: not that anybody would care who I was
Momina: I didn't like it
Momina: I didn't want to be exposed
Momina: it was for the love of music
Momina: I didn't want to be famous
Momina: to the world, fame looks attractive
Momina: very shiny
Momina: but you also know
Momina: fame has another side too
Momina: where you kind of don't have a personal life anymore 0:25:55.975,0:25:59.245 Momina: somehow people don't really think of you
Momina: as being just a human
Momina: they don't relate
Momina: human sentiments to you anymore
Momina: because they think you are some kind of persona
Momina: whose not very human
Samina: no actually Everybody starts finding themselves in you
Momina: they do, that's another call
Samina: but their
Samina: wherever they are coming from
Samina: it starts to reflect that
Momina: that's why it puts more pressure on you
Momina: to stay relatable
Momina: that's why I tried to be as simple as possible
Momina: and try to be true to myself
Momina: because it's very very easy to lose yourself
Momina: in this noise
Momina: where everyone is like
Momina: thinking of …
Momina: you know when people talk to me and refer to me in such words that
Momina: kind of suggest that
Momina: I am some celebrity
Momina: I really feel like they are talking about some third person
Momina: it's not me
Samina: it will keep you grounded
Samina: it's a blessing Momina: you have to stay grounded
Momina: it's very hard to stay grounded
Momina: but you have to not for anyone else but for yourselves
Momina: because whatever goes up comes down
Samina: what is failure then? If success is what you are talking about
Momina: failure is disappointing your own self
Momina: failure is not measured by what people say
Momina: even success is not measured by what people say
Momina: it's about
Momina: when you go to sleep at night
Momina: how do you feel about yourself
Momina: how do you feel about what you did
Momina: there is a song that I did
Momina: in Coke Studio this year
Momina: it's called 'Ghoom Tana'
Momina: circle of life. That was done by Shuba Mubtal with Junoon
Momina: it did well
Momina: it wasn't Afreen or Tera Who Pyar
Momina: for me it was
Momina: satisfying, that was success
Momina: because I felt
Momina: that I did justice
Momina: so that was success for me
Momina: maybe not for other people
Momina: and failure
Momina: I think with Afreen
Momina: I really like it
Momina: I don't think that's the best
Momina: of me. I don't think so
Momina: so when people praise it
Momina: Afreen became the most watched song in the history of Pakistan
Momina: it hit a hundred million
Only a day after Taj Dar-e- Haram
Momina: and it crossed Taj Dar-e-Haram so it's the most successful song
Samina: so what did you do at that time?
Momina: oh nothing
Momina: I was like that's great Samina: Really?
Momina: I mean great
Samina: didn't you skip a little or
Momina: No Samina; No?
Momina: no, because it happened and I am glad
Momina: that I was part of it
Samina: so how were you going to make the balance
Samina: of the engineer and the artist?
Momina: I think
Momina: I struggled daily to make that balance
Momina: and I try very hard, I fight very hard
Momina: to keep that balance that's probably
Momina: why I just got named by the BBC
Momina: as BBC 100 women for 2017
Momina: and that has nothing to do with my music
Momina: it has all to do with my social caused and the work that I do
Momina: outside of being a musician Samina: Aren't you lucky?
Momina: I'm very lucky. Very, very lucky. Very blessed.
Samina: Because this is very special
Momina: I'm very blessed and honoured
Momina: I am the only Pakistani on that list
Momina: and when I found out Samina: your intelligence must be acknowledged
Samina: and art too
Momina: art and then humanitarian work
Momina: your aims in life
Momina: must also be acknowledged
Samina: humanitarian work is done with heart
Momina: I..I like to think that I'm blessed
Momina: and lucky
Momina: but then I also want to give myself this credit that I worked very hard for this
Momina: People think that I am living this
Momina: perfect life with no issues
Momina: I am not! I don't even get to sleep a lot of times
Momina: because that's how occupied I am
Momina: Because if you have a passion, then you need
Momina: "Dedication"
Samina: are you going to start your own firm? Momina: I will
Samina: I think you are heading for it. I feel it Mmina: yeah I want to
Samina: don't you think your work will be so much easier
Samina: being famous also has its.. Momina: it helps
Momina: it helps my causes
Samina: your causes, your work, your business
Samina: the door will be open faster
Momina: when 'Afreen; happened, I wasn't expecting
Momina: it to be so successful
Momina: honestly I was very nervous knowing that,
Momina: that was the first song, that was being put out.
Momina: because in that song, I didn't even get to rehearse
Momina: And it's all live.
Momina: And it was with Rahet Fateh Ali Khan who is a living legend.
Momina: He asked me, when he met me, that "Where did you learn to sing?"
Samina: That was a compliment
Momina: I didn't know what to say to him. Samina: that was a compliment girl!
Momina: I was like…Sir I haven't learnt.
Momina: it was a big honour for me to
Momina: sing next to him
Momina: and so in the video you could probably tell that I'm very nervous
Samina: being nervous is a good thing
Samina: it takes you forward
Momina: yes because
Momina: when you are nervous, it doesn't mean you are
Momina: under confident
Momina: it means that you are not over confident
Momina: when you become over confident
Momina: and when you think you have achieved everything
Momina: and you are good
Momina: you are successful or whatever
Momina: that day your growth will be finished
Samina: So you will do your engineering work here? Momina: here too, I am doing it.
Momina: I have developed
Momina: a Solar-panel powered vaccine transport cooler
Momina: that I hope to develop in a university lab here
Momina: because Pakistan, among a few countries
Momina: where there is
Momina: still a little bit of Polio
Momina: we need to eradicate it.
Samina: Yes, our weather conditions
Samina: are very difficult for vaccines Momina: yes, weather too
Samina: you know the heat. In such heat how can you..?
Momina: yes, because Polio's vaccine needs to be maintained at a certain temperature
Monina: and we also have limited electricity
Momina: here in rural areas.
Momina: we often forget that you and we
Momina: and those from big cities Momina: we don't define pakistan
Momina: we are 4-5 big cities but the majority of Pakistan is in
Momina: rural areas, in villages.
Momina: we need to take them forward to grow
Momina: which actually reminds me of another thing
Momina" I feel very passionate about
Momina: 'woman empowerment'
Momina: it is not just a label
Momina: that you would slap on anything
Momina: and it is not a topic that you would
Momina: talk about
Momina: to look good
Momina: it's something that you would want to do if you actually
Momina: feel passionate about it
Samina: that's a lot of hard work Momina: when you talk about woman empowerment
Momina: you can not forget the statistics and the reality of
Momina: the country
Momina: you cannot have a generic formula for empowerment in every country
Momina: in Pakistan the gender ratio
Momina: of man to woman is 1:1
Momina: but the work ratio is 30:1
Momina: 30 man to every woman
Momina: education
Momina: over 70 % of men are literate
Momina: basic literacy
Momina: they can read and write their name
Momina: only 43% women are literate
Momina: there is a huge contrast
Momina: why is there a huge contrast?
Momina: it's because
Momina: we have not understood
Momina: empowerment in its true sense
Momina: empowerment doesn't mean
Momina: that a if a woman comes out of the house
Momina: she is immoral
Momina: morals, empowerment and rights
Momina: are three different things
Momina: for me
Momina: empowerment is to be respected
Momina: as much as a man is respected
Momina: and I want to be given the same education
Momina: and I think
Momina: empowerment is to get the same opportunities professionally
Momina: and the same wages
Samina: did you think if a woman 0:35:21.585,0:35:23.975 Samina: gets economically empower
Samina: her whole generation becomes empowered
Samina: if she has earned money
Samina: which is of equal wage
Momina: I think empowerment in Pakistan
Momina: or in any other country
Momina: doesn't come from being rebellious. you have to take the society with you
Momina: if you want to be empowered
Momina: you need to teach the society
Momina: what empowerment means?
Samina: what should girls do in order to find in themselves art etc?
Momina: you need to interact with boys
Momina: because you cannot forget
Momina: that what kind of a society is ours
Momina: there is gender discrimination
Momina: male dominated society
Momina: very polarized
Momina: we need to focus on problem
Momina: address them
Momina: and teach the men that
Momina: empowerment is a good thing
Momina: it is not just beneficial for women
Momina: but for men as well
Momina: how is it beneficial for men?
Momina: under present economical environment
Momina: it is necessary that both men and women work
Momina: to run the house
Samina: but then they would say
Samina: house and kids are being neglected
Momina: you need balance
Samina: that means the men have to change their attitude
Samina: they need to become partners
Samina: balance is created when both act as each other's support
Samina: if they understand that the house belongs to both
Samina: not only of a man's or a woman's
Momina: that's why I think
Momina: it's very important to teach men What is empowerment?
Momina: they need to trust their women
Momina: why do they think
Momina: that their women are good
Momina: because they have kept an eye on them
Momina: that women can't handle themselves
Momina: without their supervision
Momina: that's not true
Momina: don't they trust their upbringing and education?
Momina: they should
Momina: they need to have faith in their blood
Momina: in their daughter
Momina: that she won't 'let them down'
Momina: we will educate her raise her like our son
Momina: she'll make us proud
Momina: and she'll earn success
Momina: in any field like education, arts
Momina: in any skill
Momina: it's very important when we are talking about empowerment
Momina: we also keep the men on board
Momina: I think I am an empowered woman
Momina: but I wouldn't be who I am if my father and brothers
Momina: have not given me the respect
Momina: and the confidence
Samian: in your house, who does the interior?
Samina: who brings in the furniture?
Momina: both mom and dad
Samina: do you have an interest in it?
Momina: a lot! Samina: ….of making your home Momina a lot!
Momina: I really like..I think that
Momina: your personal energies should be in sync with your surroundings
Momina: only then can they resonate
Momina: if you're not comfortable with your environment
Momina: or if you don't have a personal environment, then you can't grow
Samina: what's your favourite color? Besides blue
Momina: I really like yellow
Samina: is there yellow in your house's interior?
Momina: there is but my room is pink.
Samina: I don't believe this! How did this happen?
Momina: I don't know how this happened, either
Momina: but I never liked pink in my childhood 0:39:28.545,0:39:31.405 Samina: do you know
Samina: that I never liked pink either as a child Momina: I always thought
Samina: pink only came recently into my life, I've started wearing pink. Momina: Really? Samina: yeah
Momina: because I always thought pink is slapped on to girls
Momina: girl equals pink Samina: there was some defiance right?
Momina: yeah Momina: I was like, why should I fit into this norm?
Samina: when did you fall in love?
Momina: when did I fall in love?
Momina: as soon as I was born Samina: with whom? Momina: with my parents, my siblings
Samina: and after that?
Momina: after that…um look you fall in love with everyone all the time
Samina: you can't fall in love with everyone Momina: it happens
Samina: love is a very beautiful feeling
Samina: because I think that's the only time
Samina: when your heart, mind, body and soul
Samina: together at the same time starts loving someone
Momina: I think love is always in you
Momina: love is not defined by others
Samina: are you a romantic?
Momina: I don't know
Samina: to me, you seem very practical Momina: I am practical
Samina: very focused, very practical
Samina: mathematician, scientist
Momina: but I also understand
Momina: not everything has science in it
Samina: there is very romantic side of you otherwise music wouldn't have come
Momina: that's true when I sing I sing with my soul
Momina: I feel it
Samina: so when did you fall in love?
Momina: love is not because of some else
Momna: love is something within you
Momina: whether you have that strength or not
Momina: it's not dependent on the other person
Momina: it's your capacity to love
Momina: I do have that capacity to love
Samina: what will you do?
Samina: you'll make your house or your career?
Momina: I think both things can go side by side
Samina: and Music?
Momina: everything can go side by side.
Samina: how will you create that balance?
Momina: you'll see me create it Samina: and when will it be?
Momina: I don't know
Samina: no plans yet? Momina: these things are not planned
Momina: it just happens
Momina: you can never plan these things out
Momina: because they have to happen naturally
Momina: it needs be balanced and resonate with you
Samina: if you rewind and look in your past
Samina: what do you see?
Samina: I should be like this or that?
Momina: you can never be bitter about what
Momina: has happened in the past
Momina: thinks happen, good and bad, both
Momina: there was a time when I wasn't at
Momina: peace with myself for it
Momina: there were some things
Momina: that I thought should not have happened
Momina: wrong has been done to me or I did wrong
Momina: but when you rewind
Momina: you thought whatever has happened
Momina: good or bad was destined to happen
Momina: like a story or movie
Momina: there comes many characters
Momina: in your life
Momina: and they have a role
Momina: later you forget who that character was
Samina: but don't you think
Samina: if you get disappointed or hurt
Samina: that makes you a different kind
Samina: of sensitive person
Samina: and in art
Samina: sensitivity is very important
Samina: I say that actors
Samina: who have experienced something bad
Samina: are turn out to be good actors
Momina: because you learn
Momina: I think whatever that has happened with me in my life
Momina: good or bad, if wouldn't have happened
Momina: I might not be the kind of person I am today
Momina: you learn more after falling
Momina: if you never fall then you can never
Momina: know what falling means
Momina: and you can't be that much thankful
Momina: to be standing up
Momina: yin and yan, good and bad, they balance
Momina: bad happens so you can appreciate the good
Momina: good happens so that you can appreciate
Momina: what you have achieved
Samina: what will we see in the fast forward?
Samina: a doctor in future?
Momina: I don't think I will be a doctor
Samina: a PhD doctor Momina: oh yeah!
Momina: knowledge is a thirst that can never be quenched
Momina: knowledge is not just education
Momina: it's experiences, learning from every
Momina: discipline
Momina: your growth will end the day
Momina: you think that you have learnt everything
Samina: will you have a teacher in music?
Momina: why not? I would love to
Momina: I want to
Samina: what's close to your heart
Samina: classical, ghazal, or what?
Samina: every genre is different Samina: there is thumri, dadri
Samina: then there is
Samina: folk and contemporary
Samina: what you youngsters are doing these days
Samina: so will you aver go to that sea of knowledge
Momina: I would love to
Momina: I would love to learn and explore and grow
Samina: did you ever develop the interest for Qawali?
Samina: because I would love to
Samina: girls should sing Qawali
Samina: and with their style
Samina: that's why I love Atif's Qawali
Samina: because he has sung it in his style
Samina: will you? Momina: I would love to explore everything and anything
Momina: I just don't get time
Samina: Have you ever painted? Momina: yes!
Samina: what did you paint?
Momina: it was a scenery. There was a house and behind it some mountains
Samina: oh, you did that too? Samina: all the kids have done that
Momina: in front of it there was a lake and birds on top
Momina: the sun was coming out in the black and there was a camp too
Samina: you didn't go beyond that? Momina: not really
Samina: did you ever write? Momina: I do write
Samina: what do you write? Samina: in English?
Momina: both in English and Urdu
Momina: my vocabulary is limited in Urdu
Momina: very limited
Samina: and in what language do you think?
Momina: both English and Urdu
Momina: the flaw in our education system is that they don't teach us Urdu speaking in public
Momina: that's why whenever I speak momina: I feel more comfortable in English
Samina: what do you speak in home?
Momina: in house English, Urdu, Farsi
Momina: we have been scolded in Farsi since childhood
Samina: it's a very beautiful language, Farsi
Momina: yes it is
Samina: will you sing in Farsi? Momina: I would love to
Momina: I actually did sing for
Momina: BBC Persia in Farsi
Samina: your mom taught you?
Momina: no not mom
Momina: I listen to all kinds of music
Samina; did you mother like it? Momina; yes she liked it
Momina: what's life for you?
Momina: life is a very beautiful 'Gift'
Momina: in which we should always keep looking forward
Momina: and learn from the past
Momina: and we should just keep growing
Momina: because you're alive for a purpose
Momina: and you need to find your purpose
Momina: we all can lament over the bad that has
Momina: happened with us
Momina: or we can move forward
Momina: so we should move forward and gather more experiences
Momina: we should explore, travel
Samina: forgiving is important? Momina: very
Momina: you don't forgive
Momina: because the other person deserved it
Momina: you should forgive others
Momina: for your own peace
Momina: because if you don't forgive you won't move forward
Momina: forgive and move on
Samina: and bitterness has no place? Momina: nope
Momina: because bitterness affects you more than anything
Momina: it eats you from inside
Momina: nobody deserves that
Samina: do you laugh a lot? Momina: I do
Momina: a lot!
Momina: on social media
Momina: people troll about my laughter
Momina: I like to laugh
Samina: keep on smiling like that
Samina: tell me what you think about death? Momina: death is part of life
Momina: I just lost my grandmother two months ago
Momina: she was very close to me Samina: were you close?
Momina: very close to me. She was my best friend
Momina: I used to talk to her about the things
Momina: I could not discuss with anyone else and grandma's death was very…
Momina: it happened very suddenly
Momina: she was perfectly fine. She had no health issues
Momina: and she actually went to the hospital herself
Momina: because she wasn't feeling well
Momina: and she was all dressed up
Momina: makeup, matching jewellery
Momina: fancy jewellery Samina: and when did this happen?
Momina: in Multan. She was administered the wrong drug
Momina: and she started bleeding internally
Momina: she suddenly went into the coma
Momina: and I was in New York
Momina: and I found out and I went back right away
Momina: I went to the airport and got whatever flight I got
Momina: went to Pakistan. I was there and she passed away. I, um…
Momina: I could have had
Momina: a breakdown, emotionally
Momina: but I didn't. because I knew
Momina: that even if she isn't in this world
Momina: physically
Momina: her spirit is still here
Momina: I can still talk to her
Momina: because all of us will, one day,
Momina: leave this world
Momina: we will all die, one day
Momina: every soul has to
Momina: pass on
Samina: Yeah, we are all standing in the queue Momina: we are
Momina: so your life's
Momina: success or failure is defined in such a way that
Momina: when you leave this world
Momina: people should know what words to use to remember you
Momina: that is success Momina: and Alhamdulillah (Thanks to Allah)
Momina: Grandma, anybody who ever knew her
Momina: knew her as this person who was always
Momina: satisfied and happy
Momina: and always trying to
Momina: help others and always being
Momina: the source of positivity
Samina: which of her words do you hold strongly?
Momina: no matter what
Momina: somebody did
Momina: she would say "it's fine" that human being is still good'
Momina: and I would say, 'Grandma no!'
Momina: how can this person be good?
Momina: she'd be like, no problem, you don't know they must be good from inside
Momina: from the outside, maybe they had a bad day
Momina: and this would frustrate me in the beginning
Momina: like you say it too, 'That person is bad!' Momina: that's not fair
Samina: because kids you know, their world is quite black and white
Momina: we need validation! Samina: they see in black and white
Samina: They have frames like good frame, bad frame
Samina: but those who have lived their lives have this quality
Momina: and I would say to her that I faced injustice today
Momina: She'd say 'no child it didn't'. count your blessings
Momina: that you have this, this, and this.
Momina: so there is no injustice done to you
Momina: God has given you so much. Yes but…
samina: what song was her favourite?
Momina: what was her favourite song
Momina: she all of them
Samina: which one did you sing for her?
Momina: I used to sing for her all the time
Samina: what would you sing? Momina: old songs Samina: which ones?
Momina: what was that song…
Samina: what would she sing?
Momina: grandma could also sing very well
Momina: we both used to watch old movies together
Momina: she would always say to me
Momina: I want to watch an old movie, so I would go for 90s and 80s movies
Momina: she would say this is latest
Momina: show me older ones Samina: black and white
Samina: she wanted to see black and white Momina: Grandma this is so old
Momina: Even before my birth she'd say no it's from my childhood
Momina: or before I was born. I want to watch old movies
Momina: so we watched a really pointless movie in which,
Momina: I don't know who starred I don't know, something about losing eyes
Momina: it was an Indian movie. I don't know, I don't remember
Momina: it was some movie and the whole time we watched it
Momina: I was like, "why are we watching this movie?'
Samina: Something like, "Teri Surat Meri Aankhein" Momina: no no, it was
Momina: it had that song
Momina: "bachpan k din bhula na dena"
Samina: Oh that! "Deedar"
Momina: yes, Deedar Samina: Dilip Kumar, Nargis
Momina: I was like grandma why did they do this?
Samina: and I think, Ashok Kumar
Momina: the girl didn't recognize him, so why her eyes? I mean…
Momina: there are so many girls in this world
Samina: and what answer did you get?
Momina: I mean what kind of a message are they giving? Momina: she didn't remember her childhood days
Momina: she was 4 years old so what if she couldn't remember the guy?
Momina: I couldn't even remember my friends at the age of 8
Momina: and then all of a sudden you appear from somewhere
Momina: and expect she remembers you?
Momina: and you don't even tell her who you are and when she doesn't recognize you
Momina: you ruin your eyes and go away
Samina: then what did she say?
Momina: Nothing she laughed
Momina: the song is good
Momina: you don't destroy your life in love
Momina: love others
Momina: but do love yourself too
Momina: god has made you for a purpose
Momina: eyes for a purpose
Momina: use them
Momina: my grandma made me meet
Momina: A maulana sahib
Momina: He was like a peer
Momina: I said I don't to meet a peer
Momina: She said meet him
Momina: He said you must be wandering
Momina: I don't have a beard
Momina: And what kind of a maulana I am
Momina: Yeah maybe
Momina: In army we have a general and a soldier
Momina: And there's a difference in their uniforms
Momina: If I follow sunnat or copy him
Momina: I cannot reach to his level
Momina: I appreciated that
Momina: He said when you offer your prayer
Momina: From the start till end
Momina: In your mind the schedule of whole day
Momina: Is going on
Momina: I was like yes
Momina: He said only few people become sufi
Momina: Who forget the whole world
Momina: And think of only God
Momina: And leave all the
Momina: Worldly things
Momina: He said this is wrong
Momina: Because He has made the world and its blessings
Momina: for you
Momina: so that you can live a happy life
Momina: that you make use of those blessings
Momina: because that's what Quran says as well
Momina: that you know, they have made grains out of nothing
Momina: God has given you so much then make use of it
Momina: and give thanks to the Lord
Momina: that's okay if heart was broken
Momina: A girl of 4 years old
Momina: doesn't remember you Momina: oh yeah I let him
Momina: a girl with the tumour who is now 30
Momina: okay heart breaks, whatever but the Lord has given you
Momina: ALLAH has given you this world to enjoy
Momina: give Him thanks. Pray to him
Momina: but have a good life
Momina: laugh, learn, grow, live
Momina: be happy and just die then
Samina: thank you so much
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