Rani to go on air soon

Angeline Malik (Not for Angels) returns to the drama fold with her production titled Rani in which she plays the main lead. It is the story of a woman with a never-say-die attitude who suffers insurmountable odds to realise her dreams and ultimately her true calling in life as a political force to reckon with. Rings a bell?

“Rani is not a story, it is a page from life, a mirror to a woman's dignity and fight for survival, a fight between victory and defeat, between life and death. It is about greed, power and revenge... and women empowerment” said the promo at a launch that was recently held in Karachi and well-attended by the who's who of the entertainment industry.

Penned by Indian film and TV writer Naseem Mukri, daughter of the famous comedian Mukri, the music director is Shahzad Hasan (Shahi) who compliments Rani's rural and rustic setting with a blend of Arabic, Indian and western instruments with folk sufi melodies sung by Naseebo Lal. Ambi haith meherma ve effectively portrays the powerful yet sad romantically expression of longing which is its basic theme and feel while Ranjhan is a sufi folk song portraying the love of God and the desire to achieve supreme power over men. Dil tangay stirs the senses and is sung by Zafer Ali Khan.

Rani stars Sajid Hasan, Beenish Chohan, Ali Tabish, Ali Tahir, Durdana Butt, Imran Urooj, Mekaal Zulfiqar, Nayyar Ejaz, Sarwat Gillani, Simi Raheal and Farooq Zameer among others. — F.S.

Depeche Mode to tour and release new material in 2009

Depeche Mode has finished recording work on the band's forthcoming studio album, its first since 2005's Playing the Angel.“We've completed the record,” the band's frontman, Dave Gahan, said via phone from New York. “There might be a couple of bits and pieces we've got to clean up, but I feel really good about the fact that we”re finished. I think we've made a great record.”

Gahan said the still-untitled album, slated for release in the spring, will have about 12 tracks. “We've been spoiled for choice with this one because we recorded more songs for this record than we ever had for any (other) record,” he said. “Maybe Im old school or whatever, but once you start going over 12 songs, I think it becomes a little weird.”

Gahan confirmed that the release will contain the tracks Wrong and Peace, snippets of which have been circulating on the Web. Gahan, however, clarified that the actual title of Peace is Peace Will Come to Me.

Additionally, he unveiled the titles of three more new tracks — Hole to Feed, Comeback and In Chains, all co-written by Gahan — that are likely set for inclusion on the album. Gahan added that the recording sessions, which took place over the past several months in New York and Santa Barbara, Calif., were productive and that he and the act's principal songwriter, Martin Gore, are working well together.

“We have about 18 songs,” he said, even hinting that the band will release a special EP or online-only add-on with the extra material next year.— Dawn/LAT-WP news service